One with the Beast
by the-name-is-paige
Summary: It had been three years since three members of Team Seven left Konoha to train. Ayame and Naruto return with welcoming friends; however, Sasuke comes home uninvited, and rejected by the one whom he used to love. What's worse, someone wants to seek revenge against the lone Uchiha, but how he does is sinister. This is the third and final book of the Beast Saga.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This part of the trilogy will be a bit different. First, there may or may not be more cursing in the dialogue in order to match up with everyone's maturity, but I haven't decided on that yet. Second, it will be in third person limited (to my OCs), so there will be no more point of view shifts. Third, I have hopes that I will be able to upload chapters on either Saturday or Sunday nights. Fourth, this story will be more from my own imagination and less cannon from the anime. And finally, I don't think I'll be having any sexual scenes (I was in a mood for the last one, sorry).**

 **Also, I can** _ **not**_ **deal with the Akatsuki because it's too elaborate for me, so I just don't allow them to exist in my stories.**

 **If you are just now stumbling on the Beast Saga, please go to my profile and read** _ **The Beast Inside**_ **, which is the first book, or at least the first chapter, "Background," so you can understand the protagonist a bit more.**

 **This is the third and final part of the series. Thank you for following me on this journey. I could not have come this far without your unconditional support and enthusiasm. Enjoy.**

 **(Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto. The opinions of my original characters do not reflect those of Masashi Kishimoto nor my own.)**

 **((P.S. If you're expecting Ayame to forgive everything that's happened, you've got another thing coming))**

 **(((P.P.S. I meant to upload this yesterday and forgot. Sorry.)))**

 **. . .**

It was high noon. The sun was shining boldly on the Earth, heating it with gentle rays of warmth. A person walked on a dirt path that was as familiar as her own heart beat. She walked with her chin up, back straight, and a twinkle in her grey, storm-cloud eyes.

Approaching a large, welcoming gate that was wide open, a smile with pointed canines spread across her face. Unknowingly, her steps turned to strides until she finally reached the gate of Konoha, the familiar sight filling her with joy and nostalgia that gave her brief butterflies in her stomach.

"Hey, who goes - " A guard began to call, but stopped himself when he realised who entered his home of a village. His professional countenance faded into a grin. "Oh, it's you. Back for another visit?"

"I'm home permanently," she replied in a rumbling, yet feminine voice. "Good to see you, Suge."

"Likewise," he returned. "You look so grown up."

"Thank you." She continued into the village. Suge was right, after all. Two long auburn braids hung over her shoulders in front of her, her ears looked more pointed, she strolled with grace and poise with her slightly taller and muscular stature. She even had tattoos, despite only being sixteen.

As she walked on the path, the dirt crunching beneath her sandals, she came across a building. With her heightened sense of hearing, she detected children playing behind the wall where she knew a courtyard was. The Konoha Ninja Academy was where she spent many days of her youth and where she learned how much she loved being a ninja.

She pushed past the overwhelming sensation of fondness she was feeling and furthered into the village. Soon, she was approaching the ever-busy shopping district. Lifting her nose, she could smell all the different foods being cooked in the kiosks of the street. Her mouth watered.

To her right was a flower shop, the scent of blooms flowing subtly around her. There were two girls in the front of the store: one with long blonde hair tied back in a pony tail and the other with short pink hair. They seemed to have been laughing about something when the other girl called over to them.

"Oi!" She shouted, making her way over to them. The girls stopped their conversation and turned to see the owner of the voice. The pinkette smiled broadly, jade eyes shimmering.

"Ayame!" She cried, hurrying over and embracing her friend with overwhelming strength.

"Sakura, good to see you," Ayame strained, hugging her back. When she was released, she hugged her other friend, who was more gentle in her welcome. "You, too, Ino."

"I was starting to wonder when you'd be coming back for a visit," Ino commented as she took a step back to admire her friend. Ayame's dress consisted of a violet tank top that revealed the curse mark on her shoulder she had learned to love and embrace. Her toned biceps, as well as the rest of her body under her clothes, were tanned as most of her time was spent outside. The moss-green, multi-pocketed pants she wore conformed to her muscular legs - they looked tight, though they must have been easy to move in for a ninja's utility. "You look great."

"Are you kidding? You two look gorgeous."

"How long are you staying this time?" Sakura asked, beginning to walk down the road with her gal pals after Ino excused herself from her shift at her mother's flower shop. Ayame, between them, hooked her arms around those of her friends, feeling comfort in their company.

"Actually, I'm done with my training," she answered. "The contracts with the Hokage expire today and I'm staying home."

"That's great!" Ino said. She smirked and leaned towards Ayame. "I know _someone_ will just love that news." The three of them giggled amongst themselves.

"Hey, Onee-chan," a familiar voice called from behind them. "Aren't you gonna welcome me home, too?" Ayame spun around on her heels to meet a pair of gorgeous blue eyes and sunshine yellow hair. His whiskered face was grinning and laughing at his bewildered, cheerful sister of a best friend.

"Naruto!" She sprinted over to him and collided her body to his, picking him up in a hug almost as tight as Sakura's. "You're back! I missed you, Onii-san!"

"O-Onee-chan, I can't breathe," Naruto squeaked. After setting him gently on the ground, the four of them walked on as to avoid causing any traffic in the shopping area. Ayame really began to examine her not-so-little brother, and she had to look up at him to do so.

"Oi, what's this?" She asked, groping her chin in thought. She flattened out her hand and reached from the top of her own head up to the top of Naruto's, drawing an invisible, diagonal line. "You've gotten taller."

"And you're stronger," he replied, a smile on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck. "A lot's changed, huh?"

"You said it."

They soon made their way out of the packed market and began to traipse on a side path. Naruto and Ayame began to describe their period of excursion. Sakura, who had been training under Lady Tsunade's medical ninjustu, explained her own feats as a ninja. Ino discussed her team's improvement as a unit.

"So, you came back to Konoha during training?" Naruto asked Ayame, who nodded.

"Yeah," she answered. "Since I was training with a bunch of wolves, the head of the pack thought it would be important to return home every once in a while so I could keep human mannerisms. I only came for a few days every couple months or so."

"I doubt it helped much," Ino snickered. "I remember when there was a cat and you ran on all fours to try to catch it." Ayame blushed as the others laughed.

"Yeah, well - " she stopped herself from continuing, stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes were closed as her friends looked back at her curiously. Those pointed ears on her head twitched as she listened hard to find that voice that only she had just heard.

"Onee-chan?" Naruto called to her, but she was already sprinting like the animal within her. Dust kicked up in clouds as she ran, leaving her friends behind her.

Skidding around the corner, Ayame saw the person she had heard and her heart felt as if it would explode. Though she could only see the back of his brunette head, his scent and chakra told her who he was. She was getting closer by the second, and he barely even had time to turn his head over his shoulder before Ayame pounced on his back, making him stagger forward dangerously. Despite the wind being knocked out of him, he managed to remained standing and laugh, making the triangles on his cheeks dance.

"Kiba-kun!" Ayame squealed into his shoulder, wrapping her arms and legs around him like a vice. Kiba supported her weight by holding up the backs of her knees.

"Ayame-chan," he returned, shifting to hold her more properly. "You're getting heavy." Ino, Sakura, and Naruto slowed their jogs to walks when they saw that there was no threat.

"I have a high-protein diet," she argued, resting her head on his right shoulder. "It's all muscle. Hi, Shino. Hi, Hinata. Hi, Akamaru."

"Hello, Ayame," Shino said in his low voice. A hooded, high-collar jacket and shades covered his entire face, but Ayame recognised her old schoolmate instantly. Hinata waved shyly before ducking behind a nearby tree.

"Where's Kage?" Kiba asked, craning his neck to nod at his enormous, loyal companion. "Akamaru's been itchin' to have a playdate." Akamaru, who must have at least tripled in size in the past three years, barked in agreement.

"Oh, he wanted to stay with the pack a little longer," Ayame explained with a sigh. "The trip here was lonely without him."

"Hey, Onee-chan," Naruto began, pointing at her and looking confused, "how come you're on Kiba like that?" He paused and looked at the white behemoth of a dog before jumping back in utter surprise. "And is that Akamaru!? He's huge!"

"Naruto," Shino said slowly. "It's nice to see you." Naruto arched an eyebrow.

"Huh? Who're you?" The blonde scratched his chin and squinted his blue eyes.

"Psst," Ayame whispered to him from Kiba's back. "That's Shino."

"You couldn't recognise me?" Shino asked in a chilling voice, making Naruto shudder. "You recognised Kiba pretty easily."

"Well, how am I supposed to know who you are with your face all covered up!?"

"Ayame recognised me . . ." Naruto decided it would be best to shut up right then and took it upon himself to investigate a presence he felt behind the tree. After a moment, a red-faced Hinata scrambled away from the group, leaving behind a befuddled Naruto.

Ayame sniffed around Kiba's neck, which caused the boy to squrim. "Cut it out! That tickles!"

"But you smell so good," Ayame breathed.

"You know, I love this wild side and all, but knock it off!" Kiba whined. Ayame jumped off of his back and approached Akamaru. He was so large that even when he was sitting he was tall enough for Ayame to reach his head without crouching down.

"Fine," she said, scratching behind his soft, white ear. "Then I won't tell you the good news."

"Eh?" Kiba honked, turning back to Sakura and Ino. "What news?"

"Ayame's training is complete," Sakura informed him. "She's staying home for good." Kiba's mouth gaped open.

"Seriously?" He asked. Sakura nodded happily. He rotated back to Ayame, whose arms were now crossed over her ample chest as she pouted. Dashing up to her, he picked the girl up in his arms and spun her around. "That's great! Why didn't you tell me sooner!? We're totally celebrating!"

"Inuzuka Kiba," Ayame grinned as she was set on the ground. "Are you asking me on a date?"

"Ah, young love," Ino swooned, elbowing Sakura as Kiba flushed and floundered. "They're kinda cute together, ne?"

"Wait, I'm lost," Naruto said, deadpanning across the group. "What's going on here?"

"Still as clueless as ever," Sakura said, almost sadly. Ayame sensed it, but did not address it.

"Oi, Ino," she said instead, "how about you round up Shikamaru and Chouji, Shino can find Hinata, and we'll track down Neji's team for a proper reunion?"

"Perfect! I know just the place!" Sakura exclaimed, clasping her hands in front of her briefly before hooking onto Naruto's arm. "Naruto, you help me find Team Gai, okay?"

"But I wanted to be with Onee-chan - "

"You'll have plenty of time at dinner!" Sakura interrupted, yanking him away before casting Ayame a glance over her shoulder. The red head mouthed a thank you.

Shino and Ino then vanished with ninja speed to search for their missing teammates. Kiba and Ayame were finally left alone - with Akamaru, of course. They walked closely next to each other with Akamaru trailing behind. The road they walked was quiet aside from their own conversation.

"So, that tattoo is new," Kiba noted, tapping the back of Ayame's exposed neck, which housed a life-lasting image of a grey wolf. It was slightly hidden by the tie from the handkerchief around her neck. On her left wrist was her brother's name, Akio, and on her right wrist sat her mother's name, Kitai, in black ink. Both of them were dead, but their memory remained immortal on her skin.

"Oh, yeah," she said, rubbing the back of her neck almost sheepishly. "I thought it was cool. I think I'll get more."

"My mom would kill me if I got a tattoo," Kiba said.

"So, what are those, then?" Ayame asked, smoothing her thumb over the red triangles on his tanned face.

"It's the mark of my clan," Kiba explained as she continued to touch his cheek. "Not a tattoo of my choice."

They walked quietly for a bit. Ayame decided to wait for Sakura to find and retrieve them for the dinner so they wouldn't worry. Being in the village again gave Ayame a warm feeling in her stomach. She felt like her goal of becoming stronger was complete, but the ghost of her heartaches still lingered within the walls of Konoha.

"I missed you," Ayame said abruptly. They had stumbled upon a residential neighbourhod and were passing by nice houses. Children played in yards and some stood in awe of the colossal dog following the teenagers. "I was gone for so long this time."

"Four months, three weeks, six days," Kiba said. Ayame stared up at him in amazement. "Last time I checked."

"Have you been watching my flat?"

"Every week."

Ayame smiled in spite of herself and looked towards the ground bashfully. The sound of children laughing brought back memories of her childhood. She imagined her younger self frolicking with her team to receive a mission. Kakashi, her sensei, Naruto, Sakura, and -

"Oh, yeah," Kiba suddenly remembered, digging into his pocket. He stuck out his tongue as he groped around and eventually pulled out a small metal object. "Your key."

"Thanks." Ayame accepted the item and stuffed it in her own pocket. "I should go home and get some money for dinner." Kiba waved his hand.

"I got it," he insisted, a fanged smile on his face. Ayame shook her head.

"I eat a lot," she admitted. "Let me pay."

"You're broke," Kiba teased. "You haven't been earning any money, have you? No? Didn't think so. It's my treat, really." Akamaru barked behind them. "Yeah, I'll get you something too, buddy."

They were coming to the end of the road, the sound of kids slowly faded as each step the pair took moved them further away. Soon, Sakura found them and led them to the restaurant that she had selected for the reunion.

Hours had passed since Ayame and Naruto had arrived to the village, and the sun had begun to get heavy as it strained toward the horizon. The air felt cooler, the streets were less busy. The lamp posts had yet to be lit before the darkness consumed the streets. Ayame recalled evenings like this from her childhood and lavished the sensation. She was glad to be home.

"Here we are," Sakura announced, gesturing to the structure before them. "It's got a big private room for all of us."

"It looks great, Sakura," Ayame said about the orange building with green trim.

Red lanterns illuminated the facade of the place, luring in curious eyes and hungry stomachs. They entered and Sakura continued to guide them past the dining people and to a back room. When they finally reached their reserved alcove, Sakura drew back the privacy curtain with expectant eyes.

"Ayame-san!" Rock Lee called in a mighty voice, standing up proudly among the other ninjas sat on the ground round the table. He looked the same as ever; his unforgettable bowl cut, thick eyebrows, and strong spirit still in tact. "Welcome home to the village!" Tenten rose to her feet as well, a less overwhelming welcome as she hugged Ayame.

"What he said," she agreed.

"Thanks, guys," Ayame said. Naruto waved her over to an open seat next to him and she hustled over. There was another empty seat on her other side when she sat, so Kiba took that as well. Akamaru simply plopped himself on the ground behind them. "Hey, Neji."

"Hello," he greeted briefly. Tenten nudged him as she took her seat to his right.

"Ignore him," she said. "He's not one for parties." Ayame nodded and scanned the table. She gasped when her eyes fell on a certain boy with spiky brown hair.

"Chouji? Is that _you_?" She asked incredulously, rubbing her eyes as if they were playing tricks on her. He laughed hardily, the red swirls on his once-round cheeks wiggling from his smile.

"Yep, that's me! Good to see you," he said. Ayame smiled back at him as she examined his red-clothed figured.

"You look really good," she complimented. "You've lost weight."

"He decided to stop eating so many potato crisps," Shikamaru said, whose arms were folded across his chest methodically. "It's made quite a difference."

"I'd say so."

All of her childhood friends were there, and they were there to welcome herself and her best friend home. Glasses clinked as they drank and low murmurs of discussion quickly overtook the table. Naruto started to laugh loudly at something Ayame didn't catch, but Kami, was it good to hear him again.

"Isn't this nice, Onii-san?" She asked quietly, snaking her arm around his shoulders and giving him a tight squeeze. "It's good to be home, ne?"

"Believe it, Onee-chan."

A waitress arrived to take everyone's order - Ayame ordered an extra cup of tea for herself - and disappeared again behind the curtain and into the kitchen. Ayame invited Akamaru to rest his head on her lap soon after and he accepted the offer, enjoying the praise of head rubs she was giving. Time passed and it was filled with conversation and memories. Until the mood became darkened, that is.

"So," Naruto began, glancing between Sakura and Ayame who were on either side of him, "now that Team Seven is almost complete again, we can start the search for Sasuke!"

The space they were in grew silent. Ayame's hand froze on top of the snow white dog's head, as if she were paralysed. Her grey eyes became dark. No one looked at anyone, instead they stared at the walls, the table, they stared through their drinks to the bottom of their glasses. Anything to avoid eye contact.

The waitress re-entered with colleagues to set everyone's dish in front of them. Each person murmured a thank you as they were served their steaming meal, mixed scents filled the space. It was as if the appetite slowly vanished from the room, like air leaking out of a balloon.

"Thank you for the food . . ." Chouji muttered before breaking apart his chopsticks. He seemed to refill that craving of food as his friends slowly followed his action.

"We don't have to talk about Sasuke-kun right now, Naruto," Sakura said sadly before chewing on some vegetables. Naruto looked confused as he paused drinking the broth of his ramen.

"But shouldn't we go looking as soon as possible? The three of us?" He turned to Ayame. "Ne, Onee-chan?"

"If you go looking for him," Ayame said slowly, staring at the nearly bloody beef sitting before her, "you're going without me." She picked up her utensils. "Thank you for the food."

. . .

The atmosphere eventually lightened as Kiba began to tell a tale of a particular mission his team completed, which prompted the others to explain what they have done as well. Ayame had finished her meaty meal (after sneaking a bite or two to Akamaru) and eased her digestion by drinking some hot tea and waiting for the others to finish.

"So, Ayame-chan," Kiba began to ask after swallowing a hunk of food, "are you officially part of the pack or something?"

"Funny thing about that," she started to reply, unknowingly having the attention of everyone else. "There was a type of initiation I had to go through since I'm a human and all - part of it included being fully naked for three days straight - " As most of the table began to laugh at the prospect, Ayame paused and arched her eyebrow.

"And? What happened?" Kiba asked, taking a drink and watching her. Her eyelids closed over her orbs as her head tilted slightly. Akamaru's head lifted from her leg, looking up at her. He whined once.

"Excuse me," she said suddenly, jumping to her feet and rushing from the room, throwing the curtain aside. She dashed through the restaurant as confused patrons stared after her and bolted out the front door. _Hn._ She heard the grunt from her right before sprinting in that direction, a kunai drawn from her weapons' pouch.

Turning the corner, she skittered to a stop. She saw him. Light from the nearby lampposts cast an eerie glow on his pale, neutral face; his black eyes looked sinister. A long, black sword was clinging to his back, his hip was tilted confidently, as if he had been waiting for her. The thick rope tied around his waist looked like a serpent. And there they stood, five feet apart. Ayame heard the shuffling of footsteps from behind her and could smell their familiar scents. Her friends behind her halted and hesitated, just like she had.

"Sasuke," it was Naruto who uttered his name after a pause. Ayame could tell there was a smile on his face, but his words felt unsure. Sasuke's shift in posture was the only indication that he had heard Naruto. His onyx eyes remained fixated on Ayame. It felt as if she were in a trance. Though her posture was confident, she was unknowingly taking shallow breaths.

"S-Sasuke-kun," Sakura stammered, taking a step towards him. She was the only one who dared to move closer, though the others were fanned out behind Ayame. When he spoke, the matured lull of his voice seemed to only increase the hypnotic spell.

"Naruto," he said. "Sakura."

"I knew you would come back," Naruto said, sounding less cautious as he followed Sakura to get closer to the Uchiha that had abandoned Konoha years ago. Sasuke walked past them as if they were not there and took long stride towards Ayame.

"I couldn't stay away," he said as he closed in on the girl. His white cloak swayed around him, almost encasing Ayame as he closed the space between them.

Everything felt in slow motion for her as he cupped her cheek. Ayame snapped out of her trance of astonishment when his skin connected with hers. She couldn't recognise his scent from before as he leaned into her. He smelled of dirt and it turned her stomach.

Grabbing his wrist before his lips connected with hers, she shoved him back. A look of surprise replaced the confidence on his face as Ayame kicked him in the stomach. Naruto quickly pulled Sakura out of the way to avoid colliding with Sasuke.

"Shikamaru, now!"

"Shadow Possession Jutsu!" The Nara boy called, sending forth his shadow to paralyse Sasuke and make him immobile. Sasuke did not attempt to struggle as he was familiar with this jutsu. He simply continued to stare at Ayame.

"Don't you dare touch me," Ayame growled at him, Kiba now at her side protectively, "you filthy traitor."


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/n): This chapter is a lot shorter - I was hoping it could act as a buffer period considering school is in session. Hopefully this will be the shortest one.**

. . .

Sasuke was hauled away to a jail cell for the night, of course under heavy supervision. He didn't put up any struggle or resistance and went with ease. Despite the blatant lack of control he had, the smug, confident expression never left his face. It was safe to say that the reunion of comrades was ruined.

After everyone paid for their meals, despite most of them losing their appetites, they went their separate ways. Kiba reluctantly bid Ayame a good night as she requested that he go home without walking her to her flat. Instead, she and Naruto started to head toward theirs homes, for they lived directly across from each other.

"Onee-chan," Naruto said after strolling in silence for a few minutes, "how'd you know Sasuke was there?" Fiddling with the handkerchief around her throat, Ayame replied after a brief pause.

"I heard him," she said. "When I was outside, it was like I could _sense_ him." Naruto watched her with kind sapphire eyes.

"You don't like him anymore," he stated, picking out her discomfort at the topic. She shook her head.

"I don't trust him," she corrected. "Of all times, why come back now? What's changed?"

"Maybe he finished what he needed to do," Naruto answered. "Just like we did."

The rest of their walk was in silence. When they reached the building they lived in, Ayame invited Naruto over for the night. Though she wanted to believe that she invited him over for them to continue to catch up, if she was being honest with herself, she also wanted him there for protection. Entering her home for the first time in months, the immediate scent of books and paper caressed Ayame and lured her in, Naruto following behind and closing the door.

"Man, it's been so long, you know?" The blonde boy commented as he kicked off his sandals. Ayame had turned on a nearby lamp to give the room a warm glow. The deep red walls looked a tad sinister, the nostalgia pushed away the sensation.

"I'll put on some tea," Ayame said, going to the kitchen. Opening the cupboard for a box of tea, she found an unopened package of jasmine tea - her favourite - that she didn't remember being there. She took it down to find a note on the top of the box that read: _Welcome home_ it rather poor, yet familiar, penmanship. It was dated weeks ago. She smiled.

"So, Naruto," she spoke to the young man seated on her couch as she worked, "how did training go with that . . . thing inside of you?" She was speaking of the Tailed Beast within him.

The Nine Tailed Fox was different from Aroi; although the former gave Ayame more chakra in addition to her own, the Tailed Beast was on an entirely different playing field. Akarai, the leader of the pack Ayame lived and worked with, explained the distinction. The Tailed Beasts were made by the Sage of Sixth Paths, the original ninja. Aroi was just a wolf from a clan of chakra-enhanced animals that was murdered.

"Oh, Kurama?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head with a grin. "I got to work with him and another Jinchuriki, Killer Bee from the Lightning Village. He helped me to channel Kurama and make friends with him." The tea kettle whistled as Naruto continued to describe how he managed to gain mutual respect with the Tailed Beast that once destroyed Konoha. Ayame served him the beverage and sat next to him, fully engaged.

"That's really great," she complimented as his tale came to a close. The window behind them revealed the small sliver over the sun the remained peaking over the horizon. "I can feel how much more powerful you are now."

"You, too," he returned before enjoying some tea.

"It's the same thing with me and Aroi," Ayame related. "He isn't very friendly - he definitely wasn't when we first started talking. But now we understand and talk to each other."

"It's like we weren't ever really alone after all," Naruto said with a nod, swirling his drink. He studied the room with a comforting smile on his face. "Once this whole thing with Sasuke is cleared up," he said with unyielding positivity and hope, "it'll be just like old times, you know?"

"Onii-san," Ayame sighed, blowing the steam from her tea cup outwards. "Nothing will ever be like back then." After a moment, Naruto began to chuckle, which turned into out right laughter. "Oi, what's so funny?"

"It's just," Naruto snickered, wiping a tear of laughter away. "I remember back then, and I never understood why you liked Sasuke. He was a jerk and all, but he was still my best friend in the end. Even when he left, I thought he was my brother. And now, it's like the other way around, you know?"

"Things change." Ayame said, shaking her head as she placed her cup on the coffee table. Next to it sat a leaning tower of unopened envelopes. "People change."

"That's right," Naruto agreed. "So, maybe you'll change to like him again." Ayame chuckled once.

"You're as optimistic as ever," she commented before yawning. She rose from the couch and headed towards a closet. Retrieving a pillow and blanket, she made up the couch for Naruto to sleep. "I'm off to bed, then. We'll spend the day together tomorrow, okay?" Naruto smiled brightly, his eyes shining beautifully.

"Yeah. Sounds great."

Ayame grinned back before scooping up the envelopes and shut off the nearby lamp before heading off to her room. She gently shut the door behind her. Kiba really did take care of her home - despite his usual disorganisation, he seemed to have dusted frequently and organised the letters she had received. He even bought that box of tea for her without knowing when she would come back.

Her room was even clean: the bed was made and not a single article of clothing out of place. Though the prospect of Kiba rummaging around her room made her feel initially embarrassed, Sakura's scent lingered in the air, telling her that her pink-haired companion did at least that for her.

Going to her desk, she flicked on a small light and she sat down. She set down the letters on the table and a photograph caught her eye. A picture of her younger self standing next to a smiling Sakura in front of their proud sensei and teammates. Naruto had been nearly sneering at Sasuke, while the latter was looking indifferent. Next to that image was another photograph of her dear brother, Akio. In the picture, he was holding the cloth Ayame had round her neck in his hand and was laughing. Ayame had managed to capture this closed-eye, opened-mouth smile in the eternity of a picture.

She had been smiling at the sight of her happy brother when she spotted a third snapshot that she didn't remember taking. Picking it up to examine it, she saw that it was a picture of the Inuzuka boys, Kiba and Akamaru. Kiba's arm was extended but out of the shot, showing that he had taken the picture himself. The boy had a toothy grin with one eye shut in a wink and the enormous kanine companion's tongue was hanging out of his mouth. She flipped the paper over to see the same sloppy script on the back. _We were missing you. Can't wait for you to come home_.

"Kiba," she breathed quietly, a grin too big to contain spread on her face, "you're so thoughtful, you big idiot." She set it back in its place next to Akio.

The letters were without a doubt from Yuki, an extremely talented ninja she had met the previous year during the Chuunin Exams. Akio had trained her before the girls' big fight, and Yuki was there for Ayame when she lost him; the gesture earned Ayame's ever-lasting trust and companionship.

Though Ayame warned her long-distance friend that she would be training abroad, Yuki continued to send relevant updates on her personal life. Whenever Ayame returned home, she would reply to all the letters at once, sending between three and nine correspondents at a time.

She set the several letters aside until the morning, for the day of travel and the unwelcomed guest had exhausted her. So, after changing into her pajamas, that was ultimately just a large shirt, she slipped into her extremely comfortable bed, which was much better than sleeping on the rough, dirt ground of the pack's extensive den. Her eyes slipped shut and she fell in a restless slumber. Despite the comfort she felt from her mattress, she spent the remainder of the night tossing and turning.

. . .

Ayame rose with the sun. Streams of golden luminescence landed on her pillow, her walls, and her floors as she stretched her back in a downward position. When she was done with her morning ritual she picked up the letters from her desk on her way to exit through the door. Her grey eyes fell on Naruto, who was snoozing and sprawled out on the couch. The sunlight coming through the window didn't seem to bother him.

"Oi," she called, making the blonde snore sharply. "Wake up, take a shower. You smell."

"Do not," Naruto groaned, hiding his head under a pillow.

The cups of tea had been left out, so Ayame transported them to the kitchen sink, splashing noises from the faucet causing Naruto to groan. She hopped on top of the counter next to her as Naruto reluctantly sat up, furiously rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Just as the girl was about to tear open an envelope, there was a knock on the door.

"It's just barely the morning," Ayame noted with a furrowed brow as she approached the door. "Who could that be?" Opening the door revealed a white-haired man with a mask covering the majority of his face. The only dark eye she could see looked tired and sleepless, his posture was cool and casual.

"Yo."

"Kakashi-sensei!" Ayame cheered, face suddenly electrified with the joy of seeing her old team leader. "Come in, please."

"Actually, I came to retrieve you," he said in a calm, bored voice. Despite the tone of voice Kakashi wanted everyone else to hear, Ayame could pick out what he was truly feeling inside. Worry and something like doubt. "Both of you."

"Huh?" Naruto hummed confusedly, now approaching the door. "What for?"

"It's about Sasuke," Ayame answered as if reading Kakashi's mind. "Isn't it?"

"You always did have a way of knowing things," Kakashi sighed. Of course, Ayame thought. Sasuke has been here less than twenty-four hours and it's already all about him. Damned Uchiha. "Clean up and get dressed. Oh, and, welcome home."


	3. Chapter 3

"You want us to _what_?" Ayame asked Kakashi as they headed towards a building farther away from the public. She and Naurto had quickly showered and dressed in their own homes prior to leaving with Kakashi, leaving their hair slightly dampened but making them simultaneously wide awake.

"Just talk to him," Kakashi answered. "We have the major, important details already, which we'll tell you later. But the Hokage thought it would be good for Sasuke to have friends talk to him."

"Kakashi-sensei," Ayame said, shaking her head, "we aren't friends anymore. I don't have anything to say." The building was within sight, now. There was no point in resisting, she knew, but a strong nagging sensation at the bottom of her stomach was trying to pull her away.

"So, don't say anything," Kakashi said. "He'll talk to you."

The building was relatively small, but the inside looked much larger. Inside the room that the teens were guided to, several other individuals seemed to be awaiting their arrival. One was Sakura, who was gazing longingly into a window that looked into another room; another was the Hokage Lady Tsunade; and finally Nara Shikamaru and Shikaku, master tactiticians.

The room was dim, the only light came from the window Sakura was staring through. Though there were simple chairs strewn about the room, no one sat. Someone was tapping their foot impatiently, but Ayame wasn't sure who as it suddenly halted.

"Good to see we're all here," Tsunade announced promptly as soon as the door was shut behind the three. "Assuming you know your purpose for being here, who wants to go in first?" Slowly, eyes shifted to the auburn-haired wolf child, who simply shook her head.

"May I?" Sakura requested almost meekly as she continued to stare through the glass with glazed over jade eyes.

"Be my guest," Tsunade nodded, gesturing for her to go through a door. Sakura hesitantly turned away from the windowed wall and exited the room, leaving behind streaks as her fingers protested, just wanting to keep watching him. The door she went through led to a bright corridor.

Ayame took her place in front of the transparent wall, her face becoming a ghostly shadow. Sasuke sat at a table inside the room bright room. His katana had been stripped from him and his hands were chained to the metal table. His face looked like a statue etched from stone. Though she knew the window was one-way and was a mirror on Sasuke's side, she doubted its effectiveness due to the Uchiha's keen eyes. It felt as is he were staring into her very soul - right through to her core.

"Shikamaru, why are you here?" Ayame asked him as the lazy boy stood at her side as the silence began to overwhelm her.

"If he tries something, my dad and I can paralyse him with our jutsu," he explained briefly. "Also, I'm here to analyse."

"Do you really think those will restrain him?" She added, nodding to the manacles. "He's a lot stronger now." Sakura entered the other room slowly and watched Sasuke for a moment before taking a seat directly in front of him, now partially blocking the view of him. Ayame was sure she was shaking; her movements were stiff and precise, but the hands at her sides trembled.

"They're made of chakra-eating metal," Shikaku informed her. She looked at his scarred facade and recalled the day Shikamaru came back from his first mission as a team leader. The first failure was not bringing Sasuke back the first time. "If he tries any jutsu with those on, it'll suck out any and all of the chakra he uses." Ayame raised an eyebrow.

"Who says he needs chakra to break the chains?" She asked. "Like I said, he's stronger. I can sense it."

"I was worried you weren't coming back, Sasuke-kun," Sakura's voice emitted from a box on the wall. He didn't reply. She sat there with rigid posture, not knowing what to say, not even knowing what to think from what Ayame could tell.

 _He's so different,_ Ayame could hear Sakura's thoughts. With the combination of her extremely sensitive hearing and adept ability to sense emotion and intuition, Ayame could hone in on one's thoughts just by applying more chakra to her ears.

As Sakura continued to make conversation with Sasuke, Ayame could see the coldness in the Uchiha's obsidian eye that was still in her line of sight. Yet at the same time, there was a feeling of serenity. Like he had everything under control and not a worry in the world. It pissed Ayame off.

"It's good to be back," Sasuke finally said, a low rumble of a voice. "Really."

They continued to speak for several minutes. Sakura's eagerness intensified with every passing second, her voice becoming more animated as she talked. Sasuke's face and tone remained mostly neutral, but the dialogue made him seem engaged enough to fuel Sakura's enthusiasm. He remained still in the confines of the restraints. Ayame knew his uninterested facade more than almost anyone, and admitting this to herself made her innards flipflop.

"All right," Tsunade finally huffed out in a sigh as she approached the glass. Ayame looked at the Hokage in a side-glance. The strongest kunoichi and the weakest gambler are how she would describe the First Hokage's grandaughter. Her blonde hair, bright amber eyes, and pronounced bust are her most memorable features for most, but the lingering scent of sake and stale sweat truly stood out to Ayame. "She's got him loosened up, it seems." She rapped on the glass three times, causing Sakura to briefly snap her head to the side.

"I've got to go," the pinkette regarded as she turned her head back to Sasuke, sounding as if she were talking through a smile. "I'll come back," she said as she rose from her seat. Sasuke nodded.

"I'm sure. You always did."

She started and left the room. A moment later returned to the observation area, a smile on her face as if she had accomplished a great feat.

"Did you see that?" She asked excitedly. "He usually wouldn't talk to me so much. At least, back then he didn't."

"I guess it's my turn now," Naruto announced triumphantly, a grin on his positively radiant face as well. Without further interruption, Naruto exited the room and made his way over to Sasuke's room. Sakura stood to Ayame's left, looking content.

"He's changed," Sakura noted aloud as Naruto excitedly entered Sasuke's room. He chattered instantly, as if nothing had changed at all.

Slowly, Sasuke seemed to look more comfortable. Naruto's demeanor reminded the young Uchiha that his home was still in Konoha. Though this was true, Sasuke would surely be reprimanded for deserting the village, Ayame thought. As Naruto spoke of how glad he was that the team from his childhood would be reunited, Sasuke would nod his head, as if to agree.

Ayame inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. If Sakura was so in love with him, how could she forgive him so easily? And Naruto trained for three years to gain the strength to drag Sasuke back to the village. Were those three years just wasted, now? Ayame had known all along what Sasuke's true goal was; to kill Itachi was his 'purpose for existing'. So, him being here clearly meant that his only relative, his brother, Uchiha Itachi, was deceased.

"Don't think too hard about it," Shikamaru said to Ayame, noting her attempts to keep her cool. "That's my job."

"I'm just trying to wrap my head around it," she replied, shaking her head. "Did he kill Orochimaru?" Shikamaru shrugged.

"Why don't you ask him?" Ayame rolled her storm-cloud eyes.

Minutes continued to tick by until Tsunade tapped on the glass to get Naruto's attention. Reluctantly, he got up and swore he would see Sasuke tomorrow. When Sasuke's room was empty, Ayame ground her teeth. Scraping her molars against each other didn't help, but the sound drowned out the blood thumping in her ears. Or, at least it did a little. She truly did _not_ want to speak with him. Not then, not ever. But, this wasn't her choice. As Naruto re-entered the room in which the spectators were, eyes fell on the wolf child.

Without a word, she turned her back to the glass and left the room. The short corridor she entered was brightly lit and the white walls reflected the light back to her. She stood at his door for a moment. The label on the plaque read: _Interrogation_.

 _I never liked him_ , a voice said from within her, almost in a growl.

"I know," she sighed.

 _Well, go in_.

She put her hand on the door knob and forced herself to enter, shutting the door with a soft click behind her. Aroi told her to keep a firm expression, so she did. Sitting across from Sasuke, she crossed one leg over the other, stared him in the eyes, and said nothing. This went on for several moments. The silence rang in her ears, it felt painful to even be in the room. She sat there, in quiet agony, until he shattered the silence.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Sasuke finally asked. "Welcome me home, tell me you're glad I'm back - anything?" Ayame folded her arms across her chest. Sasuke shook his head. "I'm disappointed."

"I have nothing to say," she finally said. "Nothing to someone like you."

"Someone like me, huh?" He asked. The manacles shuffled as his hands moved slightly.

"A stranger," Ayame clarified. "With Naruto, I can be foolish if I want to. I know I can say anything to Sakura. But you?" She scoffed. "I can't tell you anything. I don't know you."

"I don't understand," he said exasperatedly. "I'm back. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"I never wanted you to leave in the first place," Ayame said sternly. "But you did. I warned you that I couldn't forgive you, and you left."

"And I've returned."

 _Don't get angry,_ Aroi warned quickly. _Not now_. Ayame uncrossed her legs and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You left my village," she said in monotone, "to train in order to kill your brother. The slayer of the Uchiha clan. Great. Fine." Lowering her hand from her face, she stared straight in his eyes. "But you went to the man - the monster - who killed _my_ brother. The _only_ family _I_ had left. That is why I cannot forgive you."

When he said nothing, Ayame flattened her hands on the table before her and pushed herself up. The metal chair scraped loudly in the quiet room as she rose. As she neared the door, a scoff came from behind her, causing her to pause.

"Please," Sasuke smirked. "Don't act like you don't have feelings - " The fist colliding with his pointed jaw ceased his words, and sent him skittering to the wall on his right. The table moved with him, the shackles jangled harshly. The blow didn't seem to phase him as he lumbered upright.

"You don't know me anymore, Uchiha Sasuke," Ayame finally snapped at him, her canines seemingly larger than they had been before, pupils swelled. She turned her back to him once again, not wanting to see that ridiculously smug look on his face. "I doubt you ever did."

She swiftly exited the room, back into that well-lit hallway that seemed a little darker when she got back to it. Leaning against the door, Ayame allowed her sharpened teeth to recede into her mouth. She sighed and tightly shut her eyes, her right hand trembling from hitting Sasuke so hard, so suddenly.

 _Are you happy now, you foolish girl?_ Aroi chastised.

"No," she muttered, clenching her shaky fists. "I'm honestly miserable."

 _Yelling won't change anything._

"I wasn't yelling," Ayame said, frustrated. "I'm just angry."

 _I am well aware,_ Aroi seemed to sympathise with her while scolding, like a parent. _Leave this place._

Without loitering any longer, Ayame pushed herself through the door of the observation room. The air felt sticky with discomfort; Tsunade and Shikaku paused their conversation briefly upon Ayame's entrance before continuing their dialogue. Shikamaru was watching her out of the corner of his eye; Sakura trained her jade eyes on Sasuke rather than give her other friend questioning looks. Kakashi watched her without hesitation as Naruto reached out to her.

"Onee-san - " He began as Ayame ignored him, storming through the room and out the door to the exteroir.

Suddenly blinded by the sunshine, Ayame batted her grey eyes several times to adjust herself. Not so much as glancing over her shoulder, she hurried away from the building, wishing Sasuke had never returned.


	4. Chapter 4

Still shaken from her personal encounter with Sasuke, Ayame plastered a shield of vacancy on her face. She had an internal discussion as she strode toward civilisation. What was she going to do if Sasuke tried to get back on Team Seven? It was an unacceptable outcome. And in any case, if she couldn't trust him; she would be ineffective with him in a team, and would therefore lead to failed missions and quite possibly death.

Why did he have to come back to ruin everything, she wondered. She was so frustrated at herself - she was so busy trying to be aloof with Sasuke that she forgot to ask vital questions. Though, she supposed, there would be plenty of time for that considering he doesn't appear to be leaving.

"Hey, Ayame-chan!" A voice pulled her from her disenheartening thoughts. She hadn't even realised where she was until the call caused her to look up from scowling at the ground. She had been weaving between apartment buildings, stores, and other obscure structures, passing by people she both recognised and had never seen before. After Ayame paused and pivotted to face him, the Inuzukas caught up to her quickly.

"Oi," she responded to Kiba, still irritated, but tried not to take it out on him as she forced a smile, "are you obsessed with me or something? How'd you find me?" Kiba, who had been mounted on Akamaru's large frame, quickly hopped off his companion and strolled alongside the girl. There were plastic bags filled with items in each of his hands and Akamaru gripped one between his teeth.

"We were just shopping and picked up your scent," he explained while dragging his finger under his nose and grinning, making the bag in his hold crinkle. He stopped beaming and dropped his hand when he saw the false smile on her face. "What's up?"

"It's stupid," she said, waving her hand and shaking her head dismissively. Kiba hesitated, falling in step with Ayame as they continued on.

"Is it about Sasuke?" He asked finally. Tugging on the worn, dark blue fabric wrapped around her neck, she nodded.

"I wish he would just go away," she groused, leading Kiba and Akamaru around a corner. "I never wanted him to come back."

"I know," Kiba tried to console, "but he _is_ here. So, we'll have to learn how to not kill him." Ayame chuckled once.

"We?" She repeated.

"Yeah," he replied, "you have to learn to not kill him period, and I have to learn how to not kill him for you." Laughing, she swatted playfully at his arm. He knew just how to cheer her up - he always did. "And anyway, the Hokage probably wouldn't put him back in a team in the first place. Don't you think?"

"I guess so." Ayame hadn't considered the idea of him _not_ being in a team. It just seemed like the worst-case scenario. She shook her head. "Let's talk about something else, anything else. Here, Akamaru, give me that bag." Ayame turned around and retrieved the sack from the canine's mouth. The dampness of his saliva on the handle didn't seem to bother her.

"Thanks," Kiba said, shifting the bags for emphasis, "Mom wanted us to pick up some things."

"Then what are you doing, walking idly with me?" Ayame asked urgently, hooking her free arm around one of Kiba's and made haste, jolting the boy so haphazardly in the opposite direction that she nearly knocked him off his feet. "Let's go! You know your mother doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"O-Okay!"

Hustling through the streets with Akamaru trotting pleasantly behind them, Ayame guided the boys to their own home. Knowing Kiba's impatient mother, the faster they arrived, the better. Not to mention Inuzuka Tsume was definitely the alpha of the house, and Ayame had learned to always respect the alpha. And, as a bonus, Kiba's mother was rather intimidating.

The trio wound up at the Inuzuka house relatively quickly. Ayame had recalled being in this house before - one time when Hana, Kiba's elder sister who was an acclaimed ninja hound veterinarian, inquired her about living alongside wolves and their nature, another time was when Kiba insisted her to be a guest to an impromptu dinner that, though frustrated Tsume, made Ayame feel closer to his family. As her training persisted, she casually visited his home as she was invited.

"Thanks for the help," Kiba said, stepping onto his porch. "Do you wanna stay for dinner tonight?"

"We'll see," she said, entering the home as Kiba gestured for her to do so. The scent of several different dogs hit Ayame as she shook off her shoes. Akamaru slipped pass them and made his way to sprawl out comfortably on the carpet of the living room floor. "I think I might want a quiet night in after this morning." He nodded, also removing his sandals.

"I get it," he said, guiding her through a short corridor to the kitchen. "Maybe you could just stay for a bit, then? It's only about noon now, anyway."

"You really _are_ obsessed with me," Ayame teased, making both Kiba and herself flush slightly as they unloaded the groceries. "I guess I can stay."

"Kiba?" A woman's voice called, muffled by the walls. Followed by footsteps she asked, "Is that you?"

"Yeah, Hana," Kiba replied. "Ayame's here." In a moment, a lovely faced young woman with cheek triangles resembling the ones on Kiba's face, brown hair tied back with stray strands framing her face, and a gentle white smile popped into the door frame.

"Hello, Ayame," she greeted. "Kiba told us the good news last night. Congratulations and welcome home."

"Thank you," Ayame said. Hana's words were polite, kind, and professional, a contrast to Tsume's generally crass and hasty voice; however, like any other Inuzuka, her feral demeanour arises when under pressure. Ever since Ayame found Kage as a child and took him to Hana's clinic, she had looked up to her as a kunoichi.

"Are you spending the night here with Kiba?" Hana asked rather bluntly. Though their hot faces had just cooled down, the question made the blood rush to their cheeks once again. "If so, I would advise you to keep idle noise to a minimum. I have to wake up early in the morning."

"H-Hana!" Kiba sputtered, clutching his fist in flustered frustration. "She's not staying!" A look of puzzlement sat on Hana's face.

"But it's only natural for your ages," she regarded. "In fact, your libidos should be at their peak -"Ayame coughed gently.

"You don't need to worry about that," the auburn-hair girl ensured. "I'll be out of your hair soon enough." Hana shook her head as she exited.

"Please, stay as long as you like," she offered in a voice faded by distance. Her footsteps, too, dimmed into silence. Ayame hopped on a kitchen counter and sat quietly as Kiba put food away.

"Sorry about her," her mumbled, shutting the final wooden cabinet door above him with a soft thud. "She's so embarrassing." Though, from what Ayame had observed in the years she had been associated with the Inuzuka clan, Hana and Kiba were very close, their jobs as siblings were still to annoy and pester each other.

"It's fine," Ayame said, though her face was still red. Kiba leaned on a cool granite counter perpendicular to her and faced the wall parallel to him, feeling uncomfortable in the atmosphere his sister created. "So, has your mom been away on any big missions recently?"

"Nah," he said with a shrug. "Not really. Since we're mostly allies with the other villages after the major summit last year, there doesn't seem to be as many missions needing Jounin anymore. Chuunins can handle it nowadays."

"I can't wait for the Chuunin Exams," Ayame said, suddenly losing the flushed face and exchanging it for an eager one as she caught her fist in her hand. "I'm still a Genin, after all. But not for long."

"You could probably just get a recommendation to upgrade your rank from Iruka or Kakashi to give to the Hokage," Kiba said, finally looking at her now that the tension was gone. "If you wanted to, I mean."

"Oh," Ayame said, her eagerness decreasing. "Right. I guess I could do that, too." She looked down at her swinging feet. "I don't know if I'll be in the Hokage's good favour after I ask to exclude Sasuke from the team."

Kiba wasn't sure what to say to this. He drummed his slender fingers on the counter rhythmically and remained otherwise immobile. Ayame eyed him over as he pursed his lips, clearly stalling as he didn't know what to do, either.

"Oi, you're an awful host," Ayame complained mockingly to lighten the mood. She crossed her arms over her chest. "You don't offer me a drink or a seat, you've hardly entertained me so far."

"W-What's this, all of the sudden!?" Kiba groaned, gripping his forehead as if to hide his face. "How do you want me to entertain you?" Ayame chuckled and jumped off of the counter.

"Maybe I should get going anyway," she said. Kiba followed her closely as she exited the kitchen.

"You sure?" He asked, sounding almost disappointed. "You just got here." Ayame turned around and continued to walk backwards.

"I'd hate to be a bother - " She abruptly silenced herself as her back gently collided with a soft, solid mass. Spinning a one-eighty to face the object, she realised it was Akamaru blocking her path to the door. "Come on, boy. Scooch over." Kiba laughed out loud.

"See? Even he doesn't want you to leave." Akamaru unanticipatedly rose back on his hind legs, making himself at least six feet tall. Ayame, cornered by the boy and his pet, watched as he extended his front paws and set them roughly on her shoulders, making her stagger from the sudden weight. Slumping against her and pressing their faces together, he whined quietly like a pup.

"A-Akamaru," she said into his fur, knees wobbling dangerously. "I have to go know, okay?"

Putting just an ounce more of pressure on her, Akamaru sent Ayame plummeting to the ground, effectively pinning her to the hardwood surface with his brooting, yet tactually pleasing body. Ayame struggled, but only her forearms escaped the trap Akamaru had set for her.

"Get of, you big jerk!" Ayame said with great effort, though a fanged smile graced her face. Akamaru licked her cheeks, her nose, her forehead. Ayame gagged playfully amongst choked laughs. "Kiba-kun, call off your furball!" A burst of light flashed over Ayame and Akamaru. Taken aback, Ayame frantically searched for the source to see a pleased Kiba, holding the smoking camera with a photograph being developed from the front.

"That one's a keeper," he teased. Amidst his manic laughter at Ayame's horrified expression, which produced tears in his eyes, he didn't seem to notice that the front door had been opened, and someone stepped in.

"Kiba, what the hell is going on here?" A rough, woman's voice asked. Kiba shut himself up when he saw his mother standing behind his dog and Ayame. The latter craned her neck to look up at Inuzuka Tsume.

Tsume, like most Inuzuka members, had wild, untamable hair that spiked out in every direction. The red triangles on her cheeks appeared more prominent and proud than that of her children's. The makeup she wore consisted of purple lipstick and harsh red eyeliner to accent her scrutinising eyes, which also held the sensation of a loving maternal figure.

Growling lowly next to her stood her partner, Kuromaru. Though smaller than Akamaru, Kuromaru was an intimidating wolf-dog with jet black fur and a white belly. An eyepatch covered his right eye and he was lacking a left ear from accidents Ayame did not know the stories to. Ayame could tell there was more feral than domestic in his genes.

"Akamaru, scat!" Tsume barked at him, causing the bulky dog to immediately leap off of the girl. Tsume laughed heartily and her companion ceased his growling. "Ayame! I thought that was you." Tsume held out her hand, which Ayame respectfully accepted, and hoisted her up. Ayame's purple top was now covered in white fur.

"Tsume-san," she greeted with a bow. She acknowledged Kuromaru with another humble gesture, to which he dipped his head slightly. "It's good to see you. I was just on my way out."

"Were these boys playing their tricks on you and scaring you away?" She asked, getting ready to give her son an infamous scolding. Ayame held out her hands in self-surrender.

"No, no, we were just messing around. I apologise." Tsume eyed her over with those critical orbs, then glared at a nodding Kiba.

"Kiba, why can't you be more like this nice, respectable young lady, huh?" She scolded him, despite Ayame's attempts to save him. "She clearly takes her training and studies seriously, is kind and courteous, and will clearly be the best thing that's ever happened to you, so you better not mess this up, do you understand me!?"

"Sure," Kiba groaned, annoyed and wary of his mother chastising him. "I guess."

"Damn right," Tsume concluded triumphantly. She turned to Ayame. "Don't be a stranger; my house is your house. Just don't pee on it." Once again she erupted in laughter and patted Ayame hard on the shoulder.

"Thank you," Ayame winced at the blow. "If you don't mind me, I'll be headed home now. I'll come back and visit another day if that's all right."

"Sure, anytime," Tsume agreed, passing her son as she headed for the kitchen. She whispered something to Kiba that made Ayame's ears perk up. Both teens turned red at the hushed remark, Ayame wanting to hide her face behind her bandanna. Tsume disappeared into the next room, leaving the teens alone.

"Need me to walk you home?" Kiba offered bashfully as he neared her anyway, hands stuffed in his pockets. Ayame shook her head feverishly.

"That's okay," she rejected, scrambling to jam her feet into her sandals. "I can manage." She swiftly finished her task and fumbled to throw the door open. "Thanks for having me - "

"H-Hey, wait up," Kiba called as Ayame fled to his porch. She paused, looking over her shoulder at Kiba who was rubbing the back of his neck and leaning backward as if to look smooth. "Don't you wanna . . . you know, say goodbye?" They stood there for a moment, not looking at each other, in silence.

"Your mom," Ayame eventually said with a swallow, turning around, "must really like us, ne?" Kiba nodded, now smiling a bit.

"Yeah. It's weird."

Whether or not they were going together was a mystery to Ayame. Maybe they acted like it sometimes, but how could they have been? Since she had been so absent in the better part of three years, it wouldn't have seemed fair to Kiba. She never asked about any love affairs he had, too afraid to hear the answer. So, for the most part, Ayame didn't really say anything about it. And as they stood there, she rocking back on her heels and he looking everywhere but her, they wondered how they got here anyway. All because a young teenage boy was in heat back then.

"Goodbye, Kiba-kun," Ayame said finally, raising her hand in a small wave as she turned to go. Kiba finally trained his eyes on her.

"Bye, Ayame-chan."

That was it. Ayame started off for home, well aware of Kiba's eyes on her back as she went. On her way home, she thought a lot about the past. About the academy, about her solitude that melted away when she became a Genin. As she opened her front door, she remembered the Chuunin Exams. These thoughts, however, led her to think of Sasuke. Hateful crude thoughts.

"I hate you, Uchiha Sasuke," she muttered under her breath before locking her door behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

_Why bother yourself with that boy?_ Aroi asked when Ayame's thoughts wandered back to the lone Uchiha. _He is not of your concern._ Within her, Ayame imagined him to be curled up in a ball, or pacing to and fro across a den floor. According to Akarai, Aroi's mother and Ayame's teacher, he had a magnificent chocolate coat and the same dusky eyes of grey as Ayame. His voice was rough like sandpaper, yet pleasing in Ayame's mind.

"I'm not bothering myself," she protested. It was early afternoon when Ayame arrived home, steady streams of light cast through the windows as she strolled into the kitchen where she left her unopened letters. "I'm just trying to figure out what to do next."

 _If I were not trapped in your feeble body, I would kill him,_ Aroi muttered.

"Look," Ayame groaned, plopping down on her couch, the notes now in her hands, "I just want to read Yuki's letters. Can I do that?"

When Aroi had no remark to make, Ayame took his silence as a yes. She tore open the envelope on the top of the pile and eagerly read through. This one was dated some weeks ago; each note was written with even intervals of three weeks. There were six letters in total. Each correspondent had updates of Yuki's ordinary life, stories of missions, and even political developments that Ayame might have missed out on. She appreciated this friendship, and often felt guilty when it appeared to be one-sided.

She read on and reread some letters, not noticing how quickly the time passed by. But one card in particular caught Ayame's eyes. It read:

 _Ayame,_

 _It has been several weeks since you've made contact with me. This is a sign to me that you are still enduring your training at a distance from Konoha. If so, keep it up. You may still be able to beat me in battle yet._

 _I find it important to mention to you that I am no longer living in Amegakure (so, if you have inexplicably decided to go there in attempt to visit me, I apologise for my absence). I have gained permission from our leader, Pain, to move to Sunagakure. Though I told him I desired this to strengthen foreign relations, I also did it for the self-interest of the change in scenery. Rain no longer gives me the fascination it once did - a place where it does not rain at all sounds glorious._

 _Little did I know that when I arrived to Suna, Sabaku no Gaara would be the Kazekage (and only at sixteen). He had invited me to stay at the Palace with him, but, for professional reasons, I declined and now live in my own apartment in close proximity to the Kage family. I have been described publicly as an "exemplary ambassador from the Village Hidden in the Rain" and the "esteemed guest of the Kazekage"._

 _In any case, I invite you to come and visit Gaara and myself in Suna whenever convenient. I would like to catch up with my old friend._

 _Pardon the briefness of this letter, but I must be signing off now. I hope to see you soon._

 _Yours truly, Yukigakure no Yuki_

Ayame found herself reading this letter over and over again. Yuki's handwriting was so elegant and smooth, a great contrast from Kiba's rushed script. Ever since the Chuunin Exams (which Yuki repeated the following six months and succeeded in gaining the title of Chuunin), Ayame knew that Yuki and Gaara remained acquainted to each other. She knew about the letters sent between the two, but was as unsure of their going together as her own.

Despite the lack of a formal declaration, hearing that Gaara invited Yuki to live under his roof told the auburn haired girl that things were official. A warm smile spread out on Ayame's face.

 _I remember that girl,_ Aroi griped. _She was the one that made us look like fools then._

"Perhaps," Ayame said meditatively as she opened another letter, "but she helped me find our flaws, and encouraged us to get better."

 _We should go and show her what three years of hard work looks like._ Ayame scoffed a short chuckle at his suggestion.

"You're just feeling agitated, Aroi," she said, shaking her head. "You just want to fight _him_. If I visit her, it will be a pleasant one."

As her eyes quickly examined each and every word of Yuki's receipts, Ayame heard someone approach her door and stop. The person didn't knock, but their familiar presence was still there. Arching a eyebrow, Ayame set down the unique parchment (which Yuki disclaimed was a hobby of hers) and stealthily went up to her door. She opened it up swiftly, revealing Sakura with a frozen raised fist as she was just about to tap the door.

"Sakura," Ayame sighed. "Please, come in."

"Thanks," she said, stepping inside. "I'll only be a minute."

"Thanks for helping Kiba take care of my place," Ayame added, mid-nod. "I appreciate it."

"Anytime," Sakura said. The two stood there for a moment, but when Ayame offered her a seat, Sakura declined. "I just wanted to give you a heads up about something. It might upset you." Ayame furrowed her brows and took a nearby seat on a stool by her breakfast bar.

"What is it?"

"It's about Sasuke-kun," Sakura warned. Seeing the exasperated look on Ayame's face, the cherry blossom girl didn't hesitate. "The Hokage decided, after hearing the accounts of his old schoolmates and teachers, and through classified information, but while mostly under supervision by Chuunin rank or higher - "

"Sakura," Ayame interrupted, signalling with her hand for the other girl to slow down. "Can you just get to it?" Sakura inhaled sharply.

"Sasuke-kun isn't in custody anymore," she said finally. "They don't think he's a danger. And I agree."

"Excuse me?" Ayame asked after a moment of shocked silence. "He's just _out_?"

"They came to the conclusion that he had no motive to attack the village," Sakura explained. "And even if he did, he wouldn't have returned so boldly and publicly. He would have struck in secret. Therefore, they thought it was inappropriate to keep him incarcerated."

"That sounds like Kage jargon to me," Ayame groaned. "I think he's dangerous."

"I don't," Sakura argued. She paused. "There's more." Great, thought Ayame. "They are currently debating whether or not to permit him back into the team."

"So soon!" Ayame exclaimed, jumping out of her chair. "He's been here for less than a day, after three years with Orochimaru - which, may I remind you, is Konoha's number one enemy. What if Orochimaru comes back to destroy Konoha again to take Sasuke back like at the Chuunin Exams?" She stopped herself and thought briefly. "You know what, fine. Let him come after Sasuke. That would give me a chance to kill him myself after all these years."

"That isn't something we have to worry about as far as the Hokage is concerned," Sakura said calmly. "I assume Sasuke-kun negotiated something. Maybe he had some information that he used as a bargaining chip. And if he went to all that effort, he must really want to be here." Ayame pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled slowly.

"What was the classified information?" She asked, closing her eyes to stay calm.

"What?"

"You said according to accounts from other people and classified information. What is it?" Sakura didn't answer. Ayame opened her eyes and stared her down.

"I don't know," she said finally. "That's between Sasuke and Tsunade."

"You wouldn't be lying to me, would you, Sakura?"

"Ayame," she sighed, reaching for the hands of her friend and holding them gently. "You're my friend. And I know you don't like it, but this is just the way things are. They way things always would turn out. Sasuke-kun belongs here."

"I guess," Ayame shrugged. Sakura let go of her and turned towards the door.

"I should be off, now," she excused herself.

"Thanks for giving me a heads up," Ayame thanked, opening the door for her. Sakura just nodded, patted her friend's shoulder comfortingly, and left. After shutting the door, Ayame mumbled, "Maybe I'm the one who doesn't belong here."

 _Enough of that_ , Aroi snapped at her. _Self-pity is nearly a sin. The spirits would not have guided you here as a frightened, orphaned child if it was not meant to be._

"I suppose," Ayame said. She looked at her letters. "I wonder what Yuki would say if she were here."

A squelching sound came from her stomach. It was well past noon and she hadn't eaten anything all day. When she went to investigate the contents of her fridge, she found it to be empty. What else was she to expect? Her stomach growled fiercely. When Ayame wondered what she should eat, the answer made her mouth water.

"IchiRaku ramen," she moaned, licking her chops.

 _After all this time of healthy, muscle-building eating, you are really planning on eating that garbage?_ Aroi asked, disgusted.

"I think I've earned it," Ayame said, not bothering with a door as she opened the window and bounded the rooftops.

. . .

"One beef ramen for you, dear," the man behind the magic, IchiRaku himself, said as he presented Ayame with a bowl of steaming noodles and meat.

"Thank you for the food," Ayame gratified, inhaling the scent before breaking her chopsticks and devouring the delicious contents of the blue and white porcelain bowl. The savoury broth danced on her tongue, the noodles soft between her teeth. But at least she had some form of protein in this otherwise carb and sodium-filled food.

"Hey, Onee-san!" An excited voice greeted her, sitting directly next to her. She paused, mouth full of noodles to turn and look at the orange-and-black clad teen. His brilliant smile was unmistakably radiant and his blue eyes twinkled.

"Hi, Onii-san," she returned, muffled by her full mouth. She swallowed hard. "I was starving."

"Me, too," Naruto said before ordering the usual. While it was being prepared, he asked, "So, did you hear the news about Sasuke?" Ayame paused sipping the salty broth and licked her lips clean of liquid.

"I did."

"I think it's great, you know?" He said, taking a swig of the glass of water that was handed to him. "Now he'll get a chance to prove himself the right way." Ayame didn't answer, but he continued. "He's going back to the Uchiha residence. Reclaiming his family's territory now that Itachi is dead."

 _The farther, the better,_ Aroi mumbled in the back of Ayame's mind.

"You'll come around," Naruto said, giving her a cursory glance with those precious aqua eyes when he realised she was far from engaged by this conversation. His meal was set gently before him and he smiled widely. "I'm sure of it! Believe it, you know!"

"I don't want to talk about him," Ayame said, watching Naruto chow-down on his favourite meal. "Not right now. I just want to spend some time with my friend." Ayame ordered another bowl. Naruto exhaled loudly with an open-mouth smile as he set his empty platter down in front of him. He giggled excitedly.

"I'm gonna eat until I explode!" He proclaimed. The master chef took this as him ordering another bowl and cooked it alongside Ayame's second dish. The blonde boy calmed down and turned to face his sisterly companion. "When Sasuke joins the team again, you'll be stuck with him. Even if you end up still not liking him, you'll at least learn to live with him."

"We don't know if he _is_ going to be on the team again," Ayame pointed out. "I can't forgive him. All those years ago, I warned him of that. But he did it anyway."

Their bowls were served again, steam teasing their faces with moisture. Ayame's reflection in the brown water looked blank. It was as if she could see her younger self in solitude. Naruto clapped her shoulder abruptly and made her start.

"It'll all work out," he said cheerfully. "Just you wait and see! Thank you for the food!" Again, he began to demolish the meal with his mouth. Ayame sighed deeply.

"I hope you're right, Naruto," she said. "Thanks, IchiRaku."


	6. Chapter 6

Ayame ate to her full, but Naruto kept gorging himself well past his prime, just as promised. Thankfully, Ayame suggested they call it a night before the boy really did explode from his intake. So, after making sure the drowsy and stuffed Naruto made it safely to his flat straight across from hers, she bid him a good night and returned to her dwellings.

They had spent a long time chatting in that booth, and the owner didn't shoo them away for loitering due to both of them being long-time, loyal customers. Laughing filled the space when it became void of coherent words. It was just nice to be around an old friend and his warm energy after having to act tough for so long.

When Ayame entered her house, something was off. Furrowing her brows, she flicked on a lamp and tried to put her finger on what was wrong. With the door locked behind her, she advanced in her home and sniffed the air. Her stomach churned as the dank scent of dirt and death greeted her. She growled.

"Hn," that voice muttered. "You shouldn't leave your windows open." Ayame looked. Her window was now shut tight though she had left it open when she left.

"Yeah," she responded in a cool, yet subtly irritated voice. "You never know what kind of vermin will just stroll in."

Sasuke seemed to manifest out of the shadows. He was stripped of the thick lavender rope, which was a symbol of Orochimaru, and was now wearing a more comfortable deep blue outfit he must have found at the Uchiha side of town. Naruto had mentioned how Sasuke had gone back there.

"I could make a citizen's arrest for breaking and entering," Ayame threatened, furious though she refused to show it through anything other than her voice.

"Technically I didn't break," Sasuke corrected. "I only entered."

"What the hell are you doing in my house?" She demanded. Sasuke wandered short distances in her home, gazing about him almost fondly. When he eyed the opened envelopes and letters scattered on the table, he casually inspected them, turning them over with his index finger.

"You seemed upset," he said calmly. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"So you thought you could just come into my home, uninvited and unwelcomed, to check in on me?" Sasuke chuckled, raising his eyes to meet hers.

"I used to do it all the time," he reminded her. "Remember?" Ayame ground her teeth.

"Get out," she snarled. "Now."

"I just want you to know that you can't get rid of me," Sasuke told her as he strolled towards her door. "I'll always be around. We'll be on the same team. I'm not going anywhere. Not again." He unlatched the door and stepped outside. Ayame went to the door as he stood there, as if he were waiting for her to follow.

"You should've stayed away," she said before slamming the door and bolting it shut.

 _I wish I could have sunken my teeth into him!_ Aroi howled in a rage. Ayame, too, was livid, but Akarai told her not to dwell on such negative emotions as they "eat at your soul" as she so delicately put it. _How dare he - what nerve!_

"Aroi, not now," Ayame said slowly, attempting to even her outraged breaths. First Iruka, then Akarai - the universal truth of life must be through meditation considering that was her number one focus in both the academy and her studies abroad.

It wasn't quite late, but Ayame thought it was due time to retire into her room (after double-checking that all her entrances were secured). That way, she could begin to respond to Yuki's letters. But first, she thought, a nice, long, hot shower. Feeling the water spray on her was quite a different sensation from bathing with the rest of the pack in a questionably clean river or lake. And there was actually _soap_ in her shower. It was blissful.

When her shower was finished, Ayame put on a simple night gown (she would have to shop for new clothes soon) and kept her long, wet hair wrapped up in a soft towel. After sitting down at her desk and scribbling away on a piece of paper for a length of time, she took a break to wring out her wrist. In doing so, she looked around her room. Her eyes landed on the nightstand to the left of her bed. She rose from her seat and made her way to the small table. She smiled.

During her training, she left one of her prize possessions behind. It was the item that marked her as a ninja. She worked hard for it, and for fear of it being damaged, she left it behind. The Konoha forehead protector felt light in her now-strong hands. The metal glimmered in the dim light, the fabric used to tie the item around one's head was still soft. She recollected the day she earned it, when she made a perfect clone of herself.

 _Your training is not yet over, you know_ , Aroi informed her as she admired her headband. _Your life will be full of hard work to gain the strength you truly need._

"All Akio wanted for me was to succeed," she said as if Aroi hadn't spoken at all. She set down the item in her hands and went back to her desk. "I won't let him down."

. . .

For the second time in her three days of being back home, Ayame was summoned the next morning. It was an afternoon meeting in the Hokage's office, so this time Ayame had more time to prepare. Sakura had said there were debates for Sasuke to return to Team Seven, but could it be decided already?

In any case, Ayame stayed awake to finish up her letters before she forgot. After a brief period of writing, Ayame got dressed. Thankfully Sakura had been the one to inform Ayame of the meeting and, anticipating that her old clothes wouldn't fit her, she dropped off some properly-fitting clothes. She was now proudly sporting her Konoha nin symbol around her slim waist.

She made her way to the post office, her newly sealed envelopes hugged against her chest. The mid-morning traffic was a trickle of shop owners and travelers. She waved to Ino as she passed the Yamanaka flower shop and spotted a few other friends on her path. Though she tried to greet them with warm smiles, she was admittedly anxious about the meeting.

By the time she dropped off her mail, Ayame figured it was time to meet with Tsunade. Beyond the Kage mansion was the wall that housed the faces of the past Hokages. The Third Hokage Sarutobi's face loomed over her as she neared the mansion. He had died the same day as her brother had years ago.

When she entered the building, she was escorted to Tsunade's office by a Jounin ninja. They walked through walls of green, paintings hanging at even intervals that Ayame tried not to look at as she kept her head forward. They arrived at the final door within minutes.

 _Stay calm no matter the results,_ Aroi cautioned. _Even if I may not . . ._

The Jounin opened the door for her to enter. In the room was, of course, Tsunade sitting at her enormous desk with light from the windows shining on her back and Shizune standing next to the grand desk as the Hokage's right-hand-woman with the pig named Tonton in her arms. Standing before her desk was Sakura waiting patiently, a surprisingly punctual Hatake Kakashi, and a silent Sasuke who was as still as a statue.

"Ah, Ayame," Tsunade greeted. "Forgive me for not welcoming you home yesterday."

"Thank you," Ayame replied, standing next to Sakura who nodded at her.

"We're waiting for Naruto," Sakura told her. "Knowing him, he probably overslept."

"Granny, I'm here!" Naruto came crashing through door ungracefully. He was panting as if he ran all the way there. He took his place next to Sasuke, jovially punching him on the shoulder. "Look at us, all back together again."

"Right, well, let's just get to it, then," Tsunade said, setting down whatever scroll she was reading and folding her hands in front of her face. "Despite the various missions to locate and retrieve Uchiha Sasuke after his unauthorised departure from the Village Hidden in the Leaf, Konohagakure, he was never officially filed as a, quote, 'rogue ninja'. However, his affiliation with the individual Orochimaru does pose a conflict of interest in regards to the village's safety.

"Based on private and professional conversations and conclusions, made behind closed doors, that are off the record, I have deemed this connection to be irrelevant in allowing Sasuke back into the village. But we are all here to see if the village officials believe it is appropriate to throw Sasuke back into Konoha's ninja force. I can understand some initial concerns you all may have of this, and believe me when I say that each eventuality has been carefully observed and measured." She paused to see if anyone looked confused (of course Naruto was by all these big words and long sentences, but that was to be expected). Sakura and Ayame were listening intently.

"So, I have ultimately decided, with the approval of the remaining four of you, that it would be appropriate for Sasuke to rejoin Team Seven for mission inside and outside of the village."

Naruto cheered something unintelligible, pumping his fist in the air. Sakura gasped loudly, clapping her hands together in front of her, showing her infinite gratitude. Kakashi leaned back coolly, raking a fingerless-gloved hand through his white hair. Even Sasuke grinned Ayame just stood there, as motionless as Sasuke had been.

"I need verbal approval from each of you," Tsunade reminded them. "It has to be unanimous."

"Believe it!" Naruto agreed giddily.

"I suppose," said Kakashi, "it's a yes from me."

"Yes," Sakura said, nodding vigorously. "Yes, of course." Ayame hesitated.

 _You can't get rid of me_. Sasuke's words from the night before rang out in her head. He was right, and that frustrated her most. She didn't want to consent, but if she didn't, she would lose her friends for excluding him. Sakura looked at her friend, waiting anxiously for her answer.

"Fine," Ayame said reluctantly, hating herself for it. Sakura tenderly touched her arm, knowing how much it took for her to agree.

"Brilliant," Tsunade commented briefly. "I trust that Kakashi will arrange some sort of team building exercise soon."

"Sure thing," the son of the Silver Fang said.

"Good, good," Tsunade murmured as she suddenly busied herself with other diplomatic duties. "You are all dismissed."

Kakashi vanished instantly, apparently eager to get back to doing whatever he was engaged in prior. Ayame stared at Sasuke, who stared right back, smirking at her. No, or was it . . . just a smile?

"Ayame, are you coming?" Sakura asked, already started for the door.

"No, I would like to speak with Tsunade," she answered, holding her gaze to Sasuke. "Privately."

"Hn." The Uchiha turned and seemed to guide the remaining two teens out of the room. The door shut loudly behind them.

"What is it, Ayame?" Tsunade asked, almost in a sigh, as if she were already exhausted from this girl. Ayame took a deep breath, stood broadly, and kept her fidgeting hands at her sides.

"I would like to formerly renounce my position on Team Seven."


	7. Chapter 7

"I would like to formerly renounce my position on Team Seven."

Silence hung in the air like a toxic fume. Afraid of inhaling this gas, Ayame held her breath. Tsunade stared at her with those harsh amber eyes. Shizune's mouth was agape in surprise at this sudden gesture, as it was extremely unlike the girl.

"Ayame, you cannot be serious!" Shizune exclaimed, clutching stout Tonton to her bosom. "Think of all the hard work you've put into being a kunoichi!"

"Shizune enough," Tsunade ordered with a wave of her powerful hand, though keeping her orbs trained on the young girl in front of her. "Why do you want to quit? I should let you, really, for being so ungrateful and letting those three years be in vain."

"I didn't say I wanted to stop being a ninja," Ayame amended. "I can simply no longer be on the team."

"Why?"

"I don't trust Sasuke. If I can't trust him now, then how can I expect to trust him in battle?"

Tsunade leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her large chest. "That is why Kakashi will be organising team building and trust exercises before you four actually begin to take on missions. Really, Ayame, how is he supposed to earn your trust if you don't give him the chance?"

"Why should I?" Ayame asked rhetorically. "Please, Hokage-sama, allow me to apply for a different position, like ANBU." Tsunade laughed out loud.

"You have to be a rank Jounin or higher to even _begin_ to apply for an ANBU gig," she said. She suddenly became serious. "Last I checked, you're still a Genin." Tsunade erected herself in her seat and again picked up miscellaneous papers. "Request: denied."

The wolf girl stood there, not wanting to leave empty-handed, but not knowing what to say either. Just as she turned to go, and reached for the door, she paused with her hand hovering over the doorknob.

"May I ask for a different request, then?" Ayame asked, turning back around. Tsunade looked up at the young girl curiously, a gesture that Ayame took as an invitation to reapproach her desk. "I was invited by the Kazekage's esteemed ambassador to visit Sunagakure at my earliest convenience. I request that you grant me permission for personal travel."

"Who is this ambassador?" Shizune asked.

"Yukigakure no Yuki," Ayame answered cautiously.

"This just sounds like a way to visit your childhood friend," Tsunade said skeptically, eyeing over the ninja before her. "Why should I permit you to go?"

"She represents Amegakure," Ayame informed her as if it explained everything. "During my visit, I can personally mend relations between Konoha and Ame, considering they have the weakest bonds of all the foreign relations."

Pressing her fingertips together in thought, Tsunade mulled over this possibility. Ayame wanted advice on her current position from an outside voice that was not affiliated with Sasuke. Yuki, being impartial to most topics, yet still being a considerably close friend to Ayame, seemed like the perfect person for the job.

"I'll let you go," said Tsunade finally, "on one condition." Ayame's forehead creased in puzzlement. "You have to bring the rest of your team with you."

"No, absolutely not," Ayame objected immediately, shaking her head feverishly. Tsunade shrugged exaggeratedly.

"Then I guess you won't be going." Ayame's jaw flexed as she ground her teeth.

"All right," she finally said in a low voice. "But _I_ need a condition on top of your condition."

"Oh?" Tsunade chuckled, knowing she had won already.

"I would like to replace Kakashi-sensei with a different person," she boldly offered. Tsunade arched a high eyebrow.

"Perhaps," she humoured. "It depends who. And why."

"Inuzuka Kiba," Ayame named. "And of course his partner, Akamaru. If the entire trip, including the time spent travelling, will take at least one week, I will need him to ensure that I . . . play nice with Sasuke during this time." Tsunade looked dubious before Ayame added, "I also think we could help each other during the trip, as we both use canine-like attacks. He can help me utilise what I've learned during my training."

"Five ninja travelling together?" Tsunade asked doubtfully. "Six including Akamaru? That could get messy. What if you're ambushed?"

"By whom?" Ayame asked. "As far as I am aware, the only people we would be attacked by are rogue ninjas, and I am confident that we could easily take care of a situation such as that."

"Fine, fine," Tsunade submitted, waving her arm dramatically to shoo her out of her office. "Leave tomorrow. Maximum of fourteen days, minimum of eight. This little vacation of yours is now a team building trip, do you understand me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Ayame said energetically, despite the disappointment of having to drag Sasuke along. "Thank you."

"Oh, and Ayame?" Tsunade called after Ayame bounded to the door. " _You_ will be the one to invite Sasuke."

. . .

"Eh? Suna, ne?" Kiba repeated after Ayame was finished explaining to him the trip. Thankfully he had been in his home for lunch, as he was then leaning against the doorframe of his front door, looking comfortable in casual lounge wear and a simple fishnet top (which was standard for all Konoha nin). He was also munching on an apple, the red fruit with a large bite taken out of it was still in his hands. "Why there?"

"It was an attempt to sort myself out with this whole Sasuke dilema," Ayame said, shaking her head towards the end. "But now that I'm forced to bring them along, I need you." Kiba shrugged.

"Sure, I'll go," he agreed with a smile - that was easier than Ayame had expected. To Ayame's knowledge, he had never been to Suna before. Maybe, she thought, he was eager to explore a new part of the world. "Tomorrow, right?"

"Bright and early."

"Sounds cool." They stood there for a moment, like they did the day before. He smiled down at her. "Do you want to come in?"

"That's okay," Ayame declined, taking a microstep back. "I have to find the team."

"Well," Kiba said, nodding in an indiscriminate location, "I'll be around town later on. Find me if you want."

"I will."

Despite how much she actually _did_ want to stay, and prolong the encounter with Sasuke, Ayame knew it had to be done. Plus, she didn't want to obligate Kiba. Finding Sakura and Naruto was easy enough, and they quickly displayed their enthusiasm. They remarked that it was a great idea to have isolated time with one another, regardless of their skepticism of bringing Kiba along.

"He's a mediator," Ayame had explained when they expressed their concern. "Don't worry about it."

Locating Sasuke proved to be more difficult. He was always estranged as a child, and Ayame supposed things never change. So, the only logical place to look would be a place she had never been. In fact, years ago Sasuke all but forbade her to go there as the memory of that day scarred him for life.

Ayame went to the Uchiha Residence of the village. The facade of it used to have a 'No Entrance' sign, but Ayame found it had been removed, and the outside was cleaned with care. The Uchiha symbol was proudly displayed in an arch above the entryway, which Ayame walked through. She felt bewildered eyes on her back as she entered the residence. The abandoned houses and empty streets amplified the lack of life.

As she walked, she looked around her. The closed shops, the boarded up homes. She could still hear the exterior noise of the rest of the villagers, going their merry way. The handkerchief around her neck suddenly felt tight, so she gently tugged at the top for some air.

Which house had been Sasuke's? Were these the streets in which he played and walked as a child? What could have driven Itachi to slaughter his friends, his family? Why had Sasuke been spared to suffer? She shook her head. If she dwelled on it too much . . .

She heard slow, steady footsteps. As she reached the centre of this corner of Konoha, she reached a halt, waiting for him to approach her. The Konoha Police Force building stood to her right, dilapidating from years of neglect. Ayame spied a park down the way. The steps that followed her stopped.

"Sasuke," she called, her voice loud in the silence. In a flash, Sasuke appeared. They looked to be in the middle of a stand off. The breeze fluttered around them as they stared each other down. Ayame's jacket swayed to the breeze, her hair floated over her shoulders.

"I didn't expect you to come here," he finally said fluently, the words rolling easily off his tongue. "Of all people."

"Tsunade told me to find you," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Team Seven is leaving for Suna tomorrow for our 'trust exercises'." She used air quotes as her tone was lined with annoyance.

"Sunagakure," Sasuke repeated thoughtfully. "That's where that Sand trio live. Sabaku no Gaara."

"He's the Kazekage now."

Standing there with him felt bizarre. He stared at her, but not like how Tsunade did. He studied her. It made her skin crawl.

"We leave tomorrow morning," Ayame told him after a long pause.

When she turned to go, Sasuke asked, "Why did you come here?" She turned her head over her shoulder, looking surprised with marginally widened eyes as she dropped her hands to her sides.

"To tell you that - "

"No, I know what you wanted to do," Sasuke interrupted, feeling comfortable enough to take several strides towards her. No longer wanting her back exposed to him for fear of vulnerability, Ayame turned around. "My question is, why did _you_ come here, rather than Sakura or Naruto."

"Tsunade told me to." Sasuke snorted and shook his head before tilting it to the side.

"Well, anyway, what's the story with you and Kiba?" Ayame's temper flared, but she cooled herself down. "Your standards haven't dropped _that_ much, have they?"

"There is no story," she said quickly. "If there was one, it would be none of your concern. I'm here under the Hokage's order, not because I want to be."

"And yet you're still here."

 _Leave, now_.

"I have go to," Ayame said, turning around for the last time. "I'll see you at the gate." He didn't try to stop her again, but Ayame felt his gaze bore a hole in the back of her head.

. . .

 _I truly do not like him,_ Aroi grumbled in the back of Ayame's mind. _If a lone wolf returns to the pack, he is never forgiven so easily. He must suffer first._

"Is that why you never went back?" Ayame asked. She had briefly returned home to fish out the money she had stored while she was away to food shop. A reusable bag with packages of dried box meals and instant ramen inside hung from her fingers as she browsed.

 _I was a coward and ashamed,_ Aroi admitted. _It was unbearable. I did not want to face the pack's disappointment._ Ayame examined a thick bass in a freezer as Aroi spoke.

"Do you think he suffered?" She asked, beginning to feel sympathetic.

 _He should have suffered more_ , Aroi snapped. _Do not dare think otherwise._ Ayame nodded.

"You're right. Sorry." She tossed the fish back from where it came.

"Talking to the fish?" A voice popped Ayame's thought bubble. "Come on, people finally stopped calling you a freak." Ayame caught a glimpse of Shikamaru over her shoulder and faced him.

"Just talking to myself I guess," she corrected, waving her hand about dismissively. "What are you doing here?"

"I actually saw you and wanted to see how you were," he said, following her to the front of the store. "I heard about Sasuke coming back in the team. I'm sure you're upset - hell, _I'm_ upset and I'm not even on your team. I don't care for the guy, but he didn't deserve to be back in the fold."

"That's what we were saying," Ayame said with a sigh as her groceries were rung up. "I mean, I was." She politely thanked the cashier, collected her change, and exited the shop with Shikamaru at her side.

"It must be tough," he remarked, "considering the rest of your team is either his best friend or is in love with him."

"That's why we're leaving tomorrow." Ayame explained the Suna ordeal as they strolled. Shikamaru occasionally nodded his head, but briefly furrowed his brow once in puzzlement.

"Kiba, huh?" He chuckled. "I can't believe Tsunade allowed that." Ayame arched an eyebrow and she shifted her bag to the other hand.

"Why do you say that?" Shikamaru tilted his head and smirked at her, nudging her gently with his elbow. Ayame looked away from him, embarrassed but intent on not letting it show. "Oh."

"But anyway," he said, jamming his hands in his pockets, "I hope everything works out for you."

"I'll let you know how it goes," Ayame muttered. Shikamaru waved goodbye and went left at the fork in the road while Ayame went right - the direction of her home.

Despite her eagerness to catch up with her childhood friends, the impending confrontations between those companions and Sasuke gave her anxiety. It hadn't occurred to her until then that both Gaara and Yuki were given poor impressions of the Uchiha. Ayame couldn't predict their reactions to his return, but she only hoped that no violence would break out - though, she thought, watching Yuki ferociously attack Sasuke could be entertaining. Either way, being able to go to Suna would be a blessing and a curse.


	8. Chapter 8

At sunrise, the ninja caravan met at the redezvous point at the front gate of the village. Sakura and Kiba, being Chuunin, wore similar green vests which held ninja tools specified to aid in their particular jutsu. Naruto, Sasuke, and Ayame, however, did not have this essential article. Instead, they simply wore their trademark ensembles, proudly displaying symbols of being Konoha nin. Though, Sasuke's had a line etched through the leaf of his headband.

 _Disrespectful,_ Aroi muttered when Ayame noticed this detail. Ayame could almost see him sneering inside her.

"It's pretty awful," she murmured.

"What is?" Kiba asked, pulling his leg up behind him to stretch out his muscles. Ayame shook her head and scratched the nearby Akamaru behind the ear.

"Are we ready to go, guys?" Sakura energetically asked at the front of the group, excited for the trip and opportunity to be with Sasuke after the years without him. The rest of the group nodded, and then they were off.

It was a three days' trip to Suna. They packed the supplies needed for those three days of travel as they would replenish the haul before leaving again. The first day went off without a hitch - no bandits, rogues, or robbers came to hinder their travels and they made good time. The second day, however, was different.

"I think we should take a break," Sakura suggested after already travelling half of the day. They leapt from limb to limb of the treetops for optimum speed, constantly using chakra to keep balance.

"Good idea, Sakura-chan," Naruto agreed, immediately dropping to the soft, grass ground.

The Uzumaki sighed with relief, using a bush for a pillow as he sprawled out in the foliage, hands interlocked behind his head. The others stopped to join him. Kiba and Akamaru sat in close poximity to one another as the former opened up a lunch ration. Sasuke leaned against a tree and drank water from a canteen, Sakura stood near him in attempt to initiate conversation.

"I'll keep watch, then," Ayame offered, climbing up a tree that was a few paces away from the site and seating herself on a thick branch. She leaned against the trunk, keeping one leg bent with her knee up and the other dangling over the side of the limb.

She unwrapped a sandwich that she pulled out of her knapsack and took a bite. There wasn't much to keep watch over, but she wanted to keep the sinking feeling in her stomach away from the rest of the team. She didn't want to make it seem like she was closed-minded by letting any cynical statement slip out. As she started to drink from her bottle, there was a weak breeze and a rustle from the end of the branch. She recognised his potent energy instantly. And that _smell_.

"Why don't you join us?" Sasuke asked. Ayame lowered the canister from her lips and looked up at him only with her eyes. She wiped droplets of water from her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I'm keeping watch," she said, taking another bite of her lunch.

"Am I mistaking, or was I the unsocialable one before?"

"Why are you trying _so_ hard?" Ayame snapped, turning her head to look at him. She gestured between the two of them. "We . . . are _over_. We've _been_ over for three years. Ever since you left."

"It's not about that," Sasuke said, shifting his weight from one foot to another. "I didn't think you were so arrogant."

"You might be able to fool everyone else with that cool, collected exterior, but not me, Uchiha Sasuke. You think that you can see through everyone, but _I_ can see through _you_."

 _Watch it,_ Aroi warned. _I might want to kill him, but you cannot._ Ayame caught herself growling quietly and cleared her throat.

"But, because I'm loyal to the village, unlike _you_ , I'm restraining myself from removing you from this life to the next."

"Listen, Ayame," Sasuke said, furrowing his brow, looking off his game now, "it isn't like that - "

"Bullshit." Ayame rose to her feet. Though Sasuke was taller than her, Ayame knew how to look dominant – for that was the only way she was allowed into the pack. Weakness was not allowed. She stepped her right foot forward. "What the hell do you want, Sasuke?"

"What do you want from me?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest. "I came back - I thought that was what you wanted. And I still became strong enough to kill Itachi and achieve my goal. I even killed Orochimaru - not just so I could escape, but for you. For your brother."

"Stop," Ayame said, holding up her spread-out hand. Her eyes gazed at him incredulously, suddenly burning a glare at him. "You . . . you killed him? You really . . ." Sasuke straightened up his stance. Ayame's fingers curled into her palm and she pulled back her lips in a snarl. "Bastard."

She lunged at him so suddenly, Sasuke wasn't able to prevent himself from falling out of the tree. They came tumbling down, crashing into a shrub, effectively causing the others to rise to their feet at the commotion. Sasuke darted out from under Ayame and she scrambled to her feet, now standing at a distance from the other.

"A-Ayame-chan," Kiba stammered, seeming to shield his canine companion with his body. "What's going on?"

"Onee-chan, you can't - "

"Stay out of it," she warned harshly, eyes trained on her opponent. "All of you."

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called out, more so confused than frightened as she was uncertain of what to do.

"If she wants to fight, let her," Sasuke said, narrowing his eyes though also looking unsure. "If that's what she really wants."

 _Oh, fine,_ Aroi huffed. _Let me take over, I beg of you._

"No problem," Ayame agreed out loud. But, before she managed to take a step forward, a body suddenly threw itself between them.

"Enough," Kiba firmly said, grabbing her fist in the air, holding her at a stand-still. Akamaru stood behind him, guarding Sasuke. "Knock it off."

"Back off, Kiba-kun," Ayame strained, feeling conflicted now that Kiba went and got himself involved. "You heard him."

"And you heard me. Cut it out." Ayame started and let her arm become less tense. Kiba was seldom this serious. His tanned face lacked a smile, his eyes stern as he stared into Ayame's orbs. "My mission is to keep you from hurting him, right? I don't care if he gets hurt some other way, but I need to keep _you_ from doing it. Keep _you_ safe." Ayame swallowed hard and felt her gaze falter. "I'm here for _you._ "

"Fine." Finally, she let her arm become slack. Kiba released her hand slowly, after which Ayame folded her arms over her chest. "But this isn't over, Uchiha Sasuke."

"I said enough," Kiba said more kindly. He looked over his shoulder at Sasuke who was flanked by Sakura on his right. Naruto remained neutral, conflicted between comforting his sister and consoling his best friend. "I saw a river about a mile back - let's go fill up our water supply."

Nodding feebly, Ayame watched Kiba take up everyone's canteens and bottles. With Akamaru trailing behind them, they started off for the river. Ayame was almost glad that Kiba was there to stop her, though she would never admit it. She knew that it wouldn't have been a pretty ending if she had actually tried to fight Sasuke. She doesn't know his strength, and it was a crazy, irrational, impulsive move on her end.

 _I suppose Akarai was right after all,_ Aroi said quietly. _Perhaps I am a poor influence. My temper will get you in trouble._

"So, stop being hot-headed, you jerk," Ayame muttered. Her own bottle and Sakura's were in each of her hands as she half-sulked next to Kiba.

"What's that?" Kiba asked, scouting ahead for the river.

"Just talking to myself," she said quietly. Kiba, like everyone else in the village, knew that that there was another being within Ayame, but talking about it to other humans felt difficult for the girl. She preferred to keep those conversations between her other family that was not of her own species. Kiba respected that, and never directly asked her questions about Aroi.

"There it is," Kiba spotted the water source and flicked his head in that direction. "Let's go."

The water streamed steadily as it glistened in the sun of midday. It was so clear, one could see through the water to the smooth pebbles at the bottom. Kiba knelt down by the water and began to fill the near-empty bottles in his hands. Ayame twiddled the end of one of her shiny red braids before taking a knee and beginning to refill the canisters.

"I don't really care why you decided to attack him," Kiba said, watching her closely as they both completed their tasks. "That's not my business. But you know I had to stop you, right?" She briefly glanced at him.

"I know."

"So, you aren't mad at me?" He asked, keeping his eyes on her. "It'd be pretty lame if you were mad at me for doing my job." Ayame chuckled, but didn't answer. Kiba leaned over closer to her and bumped his arm against hers.

"I'm not mad," she answered. Not mad at him, anyway, she thought.

"Then smile. Just a little." Ayame blinked in surprise and finally turned to him. "Hinata usually says that to me when I freak out, too. It usually works." His face was less than a foot from hers, and feeling the breath from his speech sent heat rushing to Ayame's cheeks.

"Why are you acting so weird?" She asked, swinging back towards the river and fumbling to tighten the lid back on Sakura's now-full bottle. "You never talk like this."

"I usually don't get to see you so stressed," he said with a slight grin as he continued to load the water into the final bottle. "You were never around long enough."

"You'll have plenty of chances to see me freak out," Ayame told him, trying her best to focus on the task at hand rather than him.

"That sounds scary. But also, fun." Despite her efforts to resist the urge, Ayame gave him a side-glance to see his brightly smiling face. She turned the opposite way from him and squeezed her cheek against her shoulder, burying her own smile.

"Let's get back," she suggested, topping off her own canteen and rising to her feet. Using her flattened hand as a visor, she looked towards the sun. "We're losing daylight."

"Sounds good," agreed the boy, joining her. "But, if you _do_ want to talk about what he did to set you off, you can come to me." Ayame looked up at his caring, protective face and blamed her blush on the heat from the sun.

"I know," she said with a small smile. They turned from whence they came and headed toward the group at an even pace, the back of their hands intermittently brushing against one another. Ayame tried to ignore it as she said, "Hopefully I can keep my cool for the rest of this trip."

"Who knows?" Kiba expressed optimistically. "Maybe things will be easier when we're finally in Suna."


	9. Chapter 9

The troupe arrived at Sunagakure the following midday. Due to their prompt departure, they made excellent time. Crossing the sandy, barren dunes to enter the village was a difficult stretch of the trip: the sun's heat pulsed down on them as the sand gave way under their feet. But when they reached the adobe walls of the village, the discomfort quickly vanished and was replaced with relief.

Passersby mildly glanced at the Konoha nin who entered their village before shuffling along again – the enormous white dog following in their wake drew curious gazes and stares. There was a dull buzz of conversation as people walked about, often clad in cloth that covered their heads, protecting themselves from potential sandstorms. The buildings looked like bee hives made from clay; the roads appeared to be tightly packed sand. The air felt hot, but it was different from the heat one felt in Konoha - there was little to no moisture in the air, which somehow made it more bearable.

The Kazekage's mansion was different from Tsunade's: the front door was guarded by Jounin and the overall stature looked wide - as if several hive-like buildings were stuck together. Next to it was another building with many floors and several terraces that must have been a hotel or apartment suite.

"I'll go set up our rooms in the hotel," Sasuke offerred, nodding toward the structure adjacent to the mansion.

"Good idea," Sakura said, still looking around at her surroundings. "Two rooms is all we need. We'll be in there." As she gestured to the Kazekage mansion, sand drifting about them in the breeze, Sasuke nodded and split off towards the hotel.

After explaining their business and showing their papers to the Jounin guards, the remaining five of them entered the home of the residing Kage. The foyer was an open space with chocolate brown, wood-panel walls and cream marble flooring. The entire room felt warm with the tan and brown tones. Three corridors branched off from this room, leading to rooms unknown. A tall woman descended the stairs to the left. Her hair was tied in four blonde ponytails and she was dressed in purple.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," she said smoothly, a smirk on her face. "I haven't seen you lot in some time."

"Temari," Ayame greeted with a slight bow. "It's good to see you."

"Huh?" Naruto groaned in puzzlement. "Who the heck is she?" Temari chuckled a brief scoff, her cool smirk briefly fazing into annoyance.

"Naruto," Sakura scolded through her teeth, wishing she could just punch him right then and there for being such a goofball. "That's Gaara's elder sister, don't you remember? She fought Shikamaru in the Chuunin Exams!"

"Speaking of him," Kiba joined in, unsnapping a chest pocket on his vest and pulling out a thick envelope. "He asked me to bring you this." He approached the blonde and she received the parcel, looking surprised, but pleased.

"Thanks." She walked towards the mouth of the corridor directly in front of the Konoha nin and called out, "Gaara! Guests!"

A few moments passed and no one said anything. Ayame and Kiba met gazes and she raised an eyebrow just as her ear twitched from the sound of footsteps. Turning her head towards the hall, she waited. Soon, the one they had all been waiting for arrived. Gaara was dressed in a long white robe that reached the floor, his blood red hair brilliant in comparison. In his hands was a round blue hat with a white veil on the back, which he placed on a table at the foot of the stairs.

"Kazekage-sama," Ayame said respectfully before bowing lowly to him, Sakura and Kiba following suit. "Thank you for receiving us into your village."

"Welcome," he said in that rough, rich voice that still gave Ayame chills after all these years. But it was different somehow. He sounded lighter and content.

"What!?" Naruto yelled so loudly it made Akamaru jump. "Gaara is the Kazekage now!? And he's so young!?" The eccentric blonde rushed up to Gaara and flung his arms around the startled boy, lifting him up off the ground, tears almost in his eyes. "Oh, Gaara, we're so proud of you! I can't believe you're a Kage now, you know? And you're just fourteen! You know, I've always wanted to be Hokage - it's my dream! - and you're a Kage before me, I just can't believe it!"

" _Naruto! Cha!_ " This time, Sakura did hit him. She whacked him so hard, not only did he let go of Gaara, but he was sent sailing into one of the walls.

"And also, I'm sixteen," Gaara said, brushing off his Kage robes before removing them to reveal normal crimson attire beneath. Temari held out her hands to take the robe, which she began to fold. "I supposed each of us has gotten stronger."

"You can say that again," Ayame agreed, rising from her bow. She took Kiba gently by the arm and walked him over to the other. "Kazekage-sama, I'm not sure if you've met Inuzuka Kiba and Akamaru."

"I remember," he said, shaking hands with him. "And, please, just Gaara."

"Thank you," Ayame sighed in relief. "That sounds awkward in my ears, too." They laughed.

"Ahem," Sakura cleared her throat. Naruto was back on his feet and had been laughing with them, but they fell into silence. "It _is_ really nice to see you again, but we have some things to discuss. Like why we're here."

"Right," Ayame sighed, cursing herself for being so caught up in old friends that she almost let herself forget why they were there. "There's something important that you guys need to know."

Before they could continue, the double front doors opened. A thick stream of sunlight shined on the immaculate floor. The outline of Uchiha Sasuke's body came into focus as he took several steps inside. The tension in the atmosphere skyrocketed.

Temari threw herself in front of Gaara and held her ground defensively, suddenly clutching a kunai in each of her hands.

Sakura, too, moved to guard Sasuke from Temari's impending wrath, keeping her fists tight at her sides.

Naruto stood between the parties, yet again being torn by his friends.

Kiba physically moved Ayame behind him.

Silence. Gaara's teal eyes were wide. He stared at Sasuke, bewildered. Ayame watched him watching Sasuke, and was certain there were many questions buzzing in his mind. She began to hear thudding footsteps in the silence - and by the looks on her comrades' faces, they heard it too.

"Gaara-sama!" A woman's voice shouted from the top of the stairs, thumps from running growing louder. "What is it?" A black blur soared down the steps and nearly knocked Naruto over from stopping so suddenly before him. He took several paces backward towards Sakura and Kiba stiffened his posture in front of Ayame, obstructing her view.

Placing her hand on Kiba's upperarm, she gently moved him out of the way. And there she was. In a black, sleeveless sweater-like dress with a gold collar and white shorts, her midnight blue hair had been neatly chopped off. Her red eyes were stern and impenetrable, eyebrows furrowed. She was absolutely, undeniably stunning. A small cloud puffed out of her nose and mouth, but not from smoke.

"Yuki-chan," Ayame said, shattering the silence like a ball through a pane of glass. Yuki snapped her head over in Ayame's direction, now dropping her disciplined expression as she looked taken aback. Ayame smiled at her and walked in the middle of the minefield. "It's me."

"Ayame," she finally breathed. The two embraced briefly, after which Yuki fully took in her surroundings: Ayame standing at her side, the teammates guarding a traitor of the Leaf, the acclaimed Inuzuka duo. She was confounded. "I'm thrilled that you're here, but can you explain what exactly is happening?"

"Sasuke came back," Ayame said, looking back at his collected face for just a moment. "What more can I say?"

"So, he's not a threat?" Temari demanded, not wavering her brother's protection.

"Not at all," Sakura answered, fearing an unfavourable response from the other. "He's actually why we're here." As she described the situation, the tension in the room slowly decreased, like air being let out of a balloon.

"So, what about the dog?" Temari asked quizically, raising an eyebrow.

"Comes with the package," Kiba replied, Akamaru panting happily under his arm.

"I assume Tsunade is well aware of this operation?" Gaara asked.

"Of course," Sakura answered with an energetic nod, glad to see the absence of hostility though there were still skeptical gazes pinned on Sasuke. Especially those red eyes of Yuki's.

"Since I had been invited here by Sunagakure's embassador, I thought it would be fine to come here," Ayame added. "I hope I wasn't mistaken."

"As Yuki-san said, we are thrilled to have you here," Gaara said diplomatically. He narrowed his gaze at Sasuke who had been studying him. "All of you."

Silence. No one seemed to know what to say next. Ayame sensed the uneasiness from Yuki. Her red eyes refused to leave Sasuke, as if she expected him to spontaneously attack. Then, Ayame heard yet another set of footsteps coming from the corridor to the right of them. A young man with purple warpaint on his face and a bowl and spoon in each of his hands entered.

"Hey," Kankuro said, voice muffled from a mouthful of food. "What's with all this noise? Is Yuki doing those weird tricks again?"

"You should really start being nice to an Ice Queen," Yuki said to him, though not relinquishing her gaze. "It isn't a trick, either. It's power."

"Huh?" Kankuro grunted, disregarding her as he took note of the Konoha nin. "A party?" When his eyes landed on Sasuke, they grew wide. Pointing his spoon accusingly at Sasuke, he exclaimed, "What the hell is he doing here!? We had to come rescue all those brats because of him! And Gaara almost died!"

"Kankuro, _everyone_ almost died because of him," Temari corrected, voice saturated with annoyance as she glared haphazardly at the Uchiha. "But, according to the Hokage, it's fine now."

" _Fine?_ " He repeated. "Is she _crazy_?"

"Watch it," Ayame snapped, warning him to tone down the disrespect. Kankuro scoffed.

"You were the one who was doin' him anyway, right? What, couldn't stop him from leaving?" Ayame bared her teeth at the remark, feeling Aroi stir within her.

"Enough," Gaara ordered boldly. He looked at his elder brother. "Kankuro, if you have nothing else to add, take your cereal and go back to the kitchen."

"What am I? A woman?" He mumbled. Seeing the daggers Temari was glaring at him, he shuffled down the corridor from which he came with no further comment.

"I'm sure you are all tired from your travels," Gaara said when the silence began to feel uncomfortable.

"Actually, I was hoping to look around before we start our team building tomorrow," Sakura admitted. "I've never been here before, and I'd like to sight-see."

"Well, to be honest, there isn't much to see," Gaara explained, a small smile on his face. "But I can show you the local hotspots if you like." The rest of them easily agreed to this.

"Gaara-sama, if I may," Yuki said, touching his shoulder as he passed her to get to the door, "could I take Ayame around myself?"

"Of course," Gaara said, patting her hand with his as she took her grip off his shoulder.

"Can I come, too, then?" Kiba asked, mostly directed to Ayame.

"Not this time, Kiba-kun," she said kindly, "I'll be back before you know it."

Though it made Yuki uncomfortable to leave Gaara's side with Sasuke suddenly there, she truly did want her friend to herself. Kiba, too, reluctantly let Ayame go off without him.

As they exited the mansion en masse, Yuki hung back - Ayame waiting patiently - to whisper something to one of the guards. He vanished and Yuki motioned for Ayame to follow her. The gritty sand beneath their feet crunched quietly as they walked in silence for only a moment.

"I'm glad you invited me," Ayame said with a longing sigh. "I didn't mean for everyone else to come, too. But if I had sent a letter warning you of Sasuke's return, it wouldn't have gotten here in time."

"How do you feel about all of that?" Yuki asked, looking down slightly at her shorter, younger companion. Ayame played with the corner of the handkerchief round her neck.

"I feel sick," she answered. "I wanted to come here by myself and talk to you about it, but . . ." She shook her head, long braids swaying. "I don't know what to do. Forgive him? I can't. Avoid him? I _can't_. There's no way out of it."

"There is no _easy_ way," Yuki amended. "I don't care for him either because of what he did to you, but you have to figure out a solution. According to the Hokage, that _is_ why you're here."

They continued to walk towards a building in silence. Ayame wasn't sure what this building was, but Yuki was adamant on showing it to Ayame. Whatever it was, Ayame was excited to see what Yuki was so eager about. As they neared the structure, Ayame could hear the buzzing of high-pitched voices and laughter. Before she could ask, the voices grew louder.

"Yuki-hime, Yuki-hime!" They chanted. Soon, children flooded out of the dwelling, wearing simple, but properly-fitting, clean clothing. Yuki grinned at the small humans and scooped a littlest of the bunch into her arms.

"Hi, kids," she said as they swarmed around her waist, kicking up sand in the wake of their quick movements. The small child in her arms looked to be no older than three years old, and was clinging onto her neck as she bounced them in her arms.

"Yuki-hime, do the magic!" One of them with a lightly tattered beanie requested, beaming up at her with crooked teeth.

"Maybe later," she said, ruffling the child's head. "I wanted you all to meet my dear friend, Ayame. She came here all the way from the Leaf Village to visit me."

The lot of children listened intently to every word Yuki said, and when she was done their collective gaze turned to Ayame. They soon began to crowd around Ayame's legs as well, suddenly full of awe at this new individual. After a moment of cheers and chattering, Yuki dismissed them all to go play back at the house. Though their countances were altogether disappointed, they obeyed. After Yuki set the littlest one back on the ground, she received a kiss on the cheek before they dashed away.

"Wow," was all Ayame could muster.

"All of those children are orphans who lost their parents due to wars or failed missions," Yuki explained, beginning to walk once again. "This building was once owned by an old woman. When I first arrived here and saw the poor conditions, Gaara transferred it from her to me. The orphanage was my first project, and Gaara supported and funded me the whole way. Now, those kids have nicer clothes, three meals a day, and an education. Volunteers provide daily care for them."

"Wow," Ayame repeated. "That's amazing."

"Thank you."

So, this is what Yuki had been doing, Ayame thought. While one spent her time gaining strength for her own needs, the other was doing her best to improve the life of others. Ayame had no idea how selfless Yuki was underneath her hard shell of an exterior. But, after all these years, Yuki had become softer and kinder.

Soon, Ayame felt the temperature begin to decrease. She looked up at the sky, expecting to see storm clouds responsible for this, but there wasn't a single cloud in sight. It was just a clear blue sky above her. Yuki chuckled quietly, but made no remark to her friend's actions.

They turned a wide corner and Ayame had to blink her eyes because she couldn't believe them. There, sat in the corner of two buildings, was a pure white glacier. There were micro puddles beneath it, evaporating from the heat of day. People were standing around the hunk of ice with buckets and bowls, harvesting the cold material.

"You did this," Ayame stated obviously. Yuki nodded and implored her friend to get closer. Soon, they were close enough to touch it.

"A lot of times, especially during the summer, there are village-wide power outages due to the heat," Yuki said, looking up at her three-story tall creation. "People come here and collect ice to preserve their food until it can be fixed. And watch this." Yuki pulled out a kunai and carved a chunk of ice out of the glacier. As Ayame looked at the whole she had created, it began to disappear before her very eyes, replacing the lost piece.

"It regenerates."

"Yes, it does."

Ayame stared at the iceberg, then at Yuki. "You're incredible." Yuki looked back at her, then smiled.

"Yes, I am."


	10. Chapter 10

Yuki continued to show Ayame around, and even treated her to a lunch at, apparently, her favourite restaurant. They sat at a table near the front, next to the large window that made up the wall. The restaurant wasn't too busy, there were only three active tables in use including their own. Though she was having a great time catching up with Yuki, Ayame dreaded what was to come the next day: the inescapable trust and bonding exercises with her least favourite person on the planet.

 _I am reluctant to be here_ , Aroi mumbled. _The only reason I am here is because you are._ He truly was a negative creature, but Ayame appreciated the consistency.

"I know," Ayame sighed under her breath. Yuki arched an eyebrow, half of her face hidden behind a cup as she took a sip. Ayame shrugged in response.

 _At least not all of your friends are worthless_. Ayame chuckled, smiling a tight-lipped smile.

"Aroi, right?" Yuki asked, her voice gravelly yet calming in Ayame's sensitive ears. "That's your . . . friend?"

"Yeah," Ayame said, a bit sheepish. "He's annoyed at this whole situation. He _loathes_ Sasuke."

"I like Aroi," Yuki said with a slight tilt of the head. In her mind, Ayame thought Aroi would be grinning slightly at the remark.

"Let's talk about something else," the auburn-haired girl suggested. "Like maybe about you and Gaara."

"All right," Yuki said, "that is a short conversation. In fact, it may already be over."

"No, no, I like this more talkative Yuki," Ayame mused, taking a sip of tea. "So, do you live in the mansion? You were upstairs when we arrived."

"Gaara-sama thought it would be a good, fiscally responsible idea for me to not stay in a hotel," Yuki explained briefly. "Yes, I live there. In a different room, on a different floor."

Ayame nodded methodically. "Gaara's a good guy, after all. He wouldn't suggest that for any selfish reasons, of course."

"Are you implying that _I_ am the Kazekage's concubine?" Yuki asked. Ayame snorted at this unexpectedly vulgar remark from her otherwise reserved friend.

"I'm implying that you and Gaara are together," Ayame amended. "Are you?"

"I don't want to put a fine point on it, but," Yuki pursed her lips, suddenly very concerned with her glass and its contents. "I suppose we are." As Ayame squealed in joy, Yuki added, "I would prefer it if you kept it to yourself. The topic is rather sensitive in the world of politics. The civilians like me, sure, but the council is a different matter entirely."

"Of course, my lips are sealed," she promised, attempting to calm herself down as best as she could. "Good for you. I'm so glad. You guys are perfect for each other."

"So, tell me more about Kiba," Yuki said, flipping the conversation. Ayame's face flushed with pink as she nibbled on a sweet biscuit that was previously sat on their table by a handsome waiter.

"He's nice," she said shortly. "He listens. Whenever I would visit the village, he's my first stop. It's just . . . nice." Yuki opened her mouth to speak, but she stopped and looked past Ayame.

"It looks like it will be dark soon," she noted. "We should get back. The sunsets on the roof of the mansion are breathtaking."

Nodding in agreement, Ayame followed her out of the cafe. It was a near straight shot back to the mansion, as several major roads lead back to the center of the village. Ayame assumed the reason for the immaculate sunset on the roof to be that the entire village was located in an enormous crater. Being on a roof made your eyes parallel to the rim of the walls.

"So, you like being here rather than Ame?" Ayame asked as they walked.

"Ame is my home," replied Yuki. "I will always have a certain fondness for it. But Suna is such a change of pace. I like that I can see the sky without getting rain in my eyes."

Nothing was said after that, for they soon arrived at the mansion once again. There was still only one guard at the door, so the others must not have returned yet. Regardless, Yuki led Ayame through the house and up the stairs. The Kage's office was a spherically-shaped room on top of the mansion, being among the tallest points in the village.

"And you?" Yuki asked, leaning her back against a railing that lined the perimeter of the roof. "How does Konoha compare to your travels?" Ayame stood next to her, gazing at the twilight horizon. She inhaled deeply through her nose, and exhaled as she rested her elbows on the rail.

"I love Konoha," she answered. "I loved travelling. The pack is my family, but they're nomadic. We never stayed in one place for long, but when we were there, it was amazing." Ayame casted her eyes downwards at the tattoos on her wrists. "They reminded me of my brother – always moving. Loyal. Strong."

Yuki put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "I understand."

Just then, the door from the mansion to the roof opened, and out walked Gaara and the rest of the Konoha nin. Ayame turned to watch them come out. Upon seeing Yuki standing there, Gaara smiled. The so-called Ice Queen met him halfway.

"I see we had the same idea, Yuki-san," Gaara noted aloud.

"I suppose we did, Gaara-sama," Yuki replied, grinning slightly at him. She leaned in towards his ear and whispered something that only Gaara and Ayame could hear. _Ayame knows, but will keep it to herself._ Gaara looked at her. Ayame gave him a thumbs-up and he rolled his eyes playfully.

"Hi, Ayame-chan," Kiba greeted, taking a spot next to her. Akamaru curled into a ball on the ground, tired from the day of adventure. "How was it?"

"Fun," she answered, turning back around to watch the sky. "She's incredible."

"Aw, do you have a crush on her, now, too?" He teased, nudging her shoulder. Ayame chuckled, shaking her head. She could hear Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke - though less of the latter - chatting to her right.

"How was it with you?" She asked. "With _him_?" Kiba raised his eyebrows momentarily before glancing at Sasuke's firm expression and stiff posture.

"Fine, I guess. He's kind of a jerk - I don't get why you were 'doin' him' before," Kiba said, jutting out his bottom lip and turning away from her. Ayame's mouth was agape in a gasp as she punched him in the shoulder.

"Jerk!"

"I was kidding! Ow," Kiba whined as he rubbed his arm. He stopped wincing and looked dead ahead, pointing outward. "Look!"

It had past twilight and set into dusk. The sky became a solid russet, the sun sagging over the horizon, tired from giving its heat to the world. It was slowly sinking, but the observers could swear they saw it moving. From orange to a deep red to violet, the sky changed colours as more and more or the sun went to sleep. The air became cooler, sending a farewell to day and greeting the night. In a matter of minutes, the sun was gone and the sky was dark.

Ayame looked straight up, and felt like she herself was in space. Twinkling lights scattered across the sky were blinking at her. Diamonds could not have compared to the shine of these lights. As they shot across the sky, endlessly flying to infinity, she stared in awe. It was as though she could connect with galaxies far away. Some stars were so large, they could be mistaken for planets - but, then again, maybe they were.

"This is so cool, you know?" Naruto said, equally infatuated with the view. "It's so pretty."

"I think we better head to bed," Sakura suggested, though she, too, looked mystified. "We'll have more times to enjoy the sky while we're here."

"Good idea," Gaara said. "We have a training ground in the back - you may use that during your stay."

"We appreciate it," Sakura thanked. One by one, they let their gazes drop until everyone had had their fill. They bid Gaara and Yuki and goodnight, went back from where they came, and retired into their rooms for the evening.

. . .

Bright and early the next morning, they woke up. Well, most of them did - Naruto and Kiba had a harder time waking up so early. But after wrestling them awake, the six of them headed to the Kazekage mansion, where they met Yuki in the foyer.

"Good morning," she greeted. "I hope you all had a pleasant night's sleep."

"Aside from the sand in my robes, it was delightful," Sasuke commented cynically.

Yuki ignored him and began to guide them through the home, but a feverish knock came from the door. Two men burst through the door. One hid his eyes behind sunglasses, the other had a head covering on with a veil plastered on his neck with sweat, and they both wore the same black uniform. Each of them carried one half of a large white object in their arms.

"Where is the Kazekage?" The head-covered man asked urgently. Yuki rushed towards them and had a quick, hushed conversation with them.

Ayame looked at the thing in their hands. It looked human, but its paper white complexion left her confounded. There looked to be a huge scar in the middle of its chest, its hair was green like grass and its eyes were wide open and yellow. Ayame felt like those citrine eyes were staring right back at her. Its clearly dead face looked sinister. Yuki called for Gaara and he came hurrying downstairs.

"What is it?" He ordered.

"This _thing_ ," the one with sunglasses said, setting the body on the floor. Gaara crouched down to examine it. "It was climbing the wall."

"Not like a ninja would," the other added. "It looked like a spider of something."

"When he ordered for it to halt, it just kept coming. It attacked another guard before we were able to kill it."

"Are they all right?" Gaara asked, looking up from the body. The guards nodded and he went back to investigating it. "Take this to the medical research team to get to the bottom of it, then check in with the other guard and give me a status report. I've never seen anything like this before."

Next to her, Ayame felt Sasuke stiffen. She looked at him to find his Sharingan eye narrowed. She was so startled, she almost let herself gasp at the sudden sight. The guards disappeared to follow orders and Ayame looked back in the direction when Gaara spoke to Yuki.

"Have you ever seen anything like that?" He asked. She shook her head, looking concerned. He placed a hand on her tense shoulder. "Don't worry. It will be all right."

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Sakura offered politely.

"You have significant training in medical ninjustu, right?" He asked, to which she nodded. "Perhaps I could get a second opinion from you later, after my team looks at the body."

"Sure," she agreed. "I'd love to."

"Great," Gaara sighed, looking stressed already. He excused himself and went back upstairs. Yuki looked after him, but didn't follow as she continued to take the group through the large house, down the middle passage.


End file.
